The most impressive and visually stunning futuristic hotel in the world is being built in China, specifically in Songjiang, one of the 18 districts of Shanghai, a prized location renowned for its natural wonders and one of the main tourist destinations in China.
Shanghai is one of Asia’s most flourishing cities. A considerable number of large fortunes are concentrated there, and architecture becomes art in the hands of accomplished, cutting-edge professionals. The city boasts nine of the 20 tallest buildings in the world.
The Songjiang hotel, still under construction, is expected to be completed by mid 2015. British architectural firm Atkins, currently planning the construction of the Al-Rajhi Tower in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, is responsible for the complex design of this monumental project.
Atkins managed to win the international competition to build this five star resort, located inside a beautiful water-filled quarry, thanks to an original design that is respectful of the natural environment and the beauty of the surrounding landscape. Their proposal convinced the judges in charge of determining which architectural firm was to carry out a job of this magnitude and prestige.
The innovative design will include 400 rooms and will be built from the foundations of the quarry, where the depth exceeds 330 feet. The hotel will be perfectly incorporated to the quarry wall, and a stunning artificial waterfall will highlight the facade of the huge structure.
The massive building will provide a beautiful and unforgettable image for nature lovers and also for fans of modern and futuristic architecture. “We were inspired by the quarry, and its surroundings, to create a green hill cascading down the natural rock wall into a series of terraces with hanging gardens,” explains Martin Jochman, Atkins architect and one of the top designers of the colossal project.
The structure itself will be so integrated into its environment that even the exterior elevators have been designed to have the appearance of pristine waterfalls. Moreover, sustainability is an integral and fundamental part of the design since the hotel is expected to get its electricity from the energy generated by the waterfall.
On top of the building, there will be a center for extreme sports such as rock climbing and bungee jumping, which will be accessed by special lifts built only for that purpose. In addition, the hotel will house conference facilities for up to 1,000 people, a banquet center, restaurants, luxury shops, cafes and sports facilities of all kinds.
It is anticipated that this five-star hotel will be the new world-class tourist attraction in a city like Shanghai, home to monumental works of modern architecture. The lucky people who will soon be able to stay in this resort will find, upon arrival, a genuine postcard from the future, a dream that could have sprung from the minds of Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov or Ray Bradbury. Because never, until now, a work devised by man came so close to science fiction. ■
