About us

Our purpose

Trebol Lifeworks brings land, buildings and people together to regenerate what connects us all — nature.

Let us introduce ourselves

Trebol Lifeworks is a purpose-driven property development and advisory firm.

We create places rooted in natural beauty, where land becomes a platform for regeneration. Our projects combine boutique hospitality, community spaces, regenerative farming, and thoughtful real estate.

Developed in collaboration with value-aligned partners working in nature based solutions, agriculture, and local communities.

Each place serves as a living laboratory, creating jobs and housing and restoring ecosystems while offering meaningful ways for people to reconnect with nature.

The Muga
Valley Initiative

Our flagship project, the Muga Valley Initiative in Catalonia, spans a watershed of 100,000 hectares and 68 municipalities. It shows how bioregional approaches can restore ecosystems, strengthen resilience, and generate shared prosperity.

Read more

Our brands

Brugarol

Connecting people with food and nature

Rooted in family heritage and the Mediterranean landscape, Brugarol unites villas, farms, and restaurants into a living expression of belonging. Each experience celebrates the land, its harvests, and the hands that care for it.

→ brugarol.com

The Pioneers
of Our Time

Catalyzing landscape regeneration

The foundation co-creates replicable models for regenerative societies that fosters resilient landscapes. The foundation has an independent board and the founders of Trebol Lifeworks act as observers and advisors to the board. Trebol Lifeworks provides funding to the foundation.

Together, we catalyze landscape regeneration across the Mediterranean landscapes globally.

→  pioneersofourtime.com

Cape Heritage Hotel 

Preserving the legacy of places and spaces

In the heart of Cape Town we have created a home away from home where our guests are submerged in history and connect through to the local culture. We are dedicated to preserving the history of place and time, and complementing it with modern South African art. Wherever you go, there is a story to be told.

→ capeheritage.co.za

Our ventures

  • We develop nature destinations and timeless Mediterranean homes and buildings. Our projects combine boutique hospitality, community spaces, regenerative farming and thoughtful real estate.

  • We design, build, and run places where nature sets the rhythm. Barefoot luxury hotels, restaurants, and venues that celebrate food, craft, and connection. Each stay is an invitation to slow down and return to what truly matters.

  • We cultivate vineyards, olive groves, and forests using regenerative practices. Healthy soil, biodiversity, and resilience form the roots of everything we grow. We believe in land stewardship.

  • We are a niche advisory firm in supporting governments, investors, development banks, and philanthropists in launching bioregional development initiatives. We focus on bioregional strategy and strategic public private partnerships, aligning vision, strategy, and capital to enable large-scale transformation towards thriving societies founded in sense of belonging, co-creating regenerative economies, water security and fire safety.

Our leadership team

Trebol Lifeworks is more than a company — it’s a collective of people driven by purpose, creativity, and conviction that we need to be good ancestors. Each of us brings a piece of the puzzle, working together to restore the balance between people and nature.

  • Co-founders & Executive Board Members

    Victoria Engelhorn is an entrepreneur and initiator working at the intersection of hospitality, place-making, and regeneration. A biochemistry and economics graduate from Duke University, she leads and develops projects ranging from boutique hotels and inner-city regeneration in Cape Town to Brugarol Wine Estate and Brugarol Gothic Restaurant in Barcelona.

    Together with her partner Stef van Dongen, she co-founded Trebol Lifeworks and Pioneers of Our Time, where they connect business, philanthropy, and land stewardship to restore ecosystems and catalyse positive change in the Muga Valley and beyond.

    Victoria has been widely recognised for her commitment to youth development and social entrepreneurship, and is the author of From Me to You, a cookbook dedicated to passing on family values through food.

    Stef van Dongen is a serial entrepreneur and systems-builder dedicated to accelerating the transition toward a regenerative economy. For more than 20 years he has built ventures, movements, and partnerships that blend business, innovation, and impact, always with one mission: to leave the world better than we found it. 

    As founder of Enviu, he started businesses across three continents that tackle pressing global challenges, from clean shipping to financial inclusion. For this work he was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award and named distinguished Alumni of the Rotterdam School of Management for his pioneering role in the global impact space.

    Beyond ventures, he has taken leadership positions in networks such as NEXUS and Coalition for Impact, he also advised institutions e.g. The Impact, the Vatican and governments on strategies for regenerative and inclusive economic development.

  • Lead Marketing & Communications

    Patrick de Jong is a creative entrepreneur and experience-creator who has spent years crafting unforgettable live experiences, turning fleeting moments into lasting memories that captivate audiences of all ages. With over 35 years of experience in the international live entertainment industry, branding, and storytelling, he now applies this expertise to regenerative hospitality and place-based development.

  • Lead Development & Property Management

    José Bahillo is a technical architect with a solid professional background in the construction sector. He began his career in a large construction company, working on projects of high complexity and technical demand. With more than twenty years of experience, he brings to the company strong expertise in comprehensive construction management, cost control, and construction supervision. His work aligns with the company’s commitment to a sustainable growth model, incorporating new technologies and promoting efficient, innovative, and quality-oriented construction solutions. His commitment is reflected in a close, professional approach focused on the client’s needs.

Trusted Collaborators

We collaborate with trusted partners who share our commitment to craft, integrity, and long-term regeneration. Each brings deep expertise: from construction and investment to global real estate – helping us create places that are built to last, rooted in trust, and aligned with our purpose.

  • Viñas Constructions is a Catalan builder known for its craftsmanship and precision. With decades of experience in high-end renovation and construction.

  • Kusana is an investment firm of the Engelhorn family, dedicated to stewarding a legacy of entrepreneurship with integrity and long-term vision.

  • Engel & Völkers is a global leader in premium residential real estate, connecting discerning clients with exceptional homes around the world.