SHOTCRETE DUNESCAPES AYLA GOLFCLUB IN AQABA CITY Ayla Golfclub takes its inspiration from the natural dunes and magnificent mountains of the Jordanian desert as well as the architectural heritage of the ancient Bedouin. The innovative and organic design of the building by Oppenheim Architecture forms the iconic core of the Ayla Oasis mixed-use resort development in Aqaba city.
Location Aqaba, Jordan Client/operator Ayla Oasis Development Company Architects Oppenheim Architecture CH-Muttenz www.oppen.com Design team members Principals in charge: Chad Oppenheim, Beat Huesler Project Contributers: Aleksandra Melion, Anthony Cerasoli, Tom Mckeogh, Ana Guedes Lebre, Rasem Kamal Author Oppenheim Architecture Photos Rory Gardiner, Moh’d Musa, Rasem Kamal Official opening 2018
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The 1,208 m² building is part of the first phase of a 44 km² leisure development currently under construction in Aqaba, Jordan. The development encompasses residential apartments, a hotel and commercial space, all centred around an 18-hole signature golf course designed by Greg Norman. The Clubhouse features retail, dining, lounge, banquet, spa and wellness components, while the Golf Academy includes retail, dining, and indoor/outdoor swing analysis studio components. Emerging from the sand The distinct architectural form of Ayla Golf Academy and Clubhouse establishes a unique connection with nature by capturing the elemental, vibrant beauty of the rolling desert landscape. A massive concrete shell drapes over the programme areas, enveloping the interior and exterior walls of each volume under a single continuous surface that emerges from the sand. Instead of having conventional walls and ceilings, the curved shotcrete shell blends in with the sand like dunes. The curved openings frame
the views of the golf course and the colourful Aqaba Mountains in the background. Alluding to Arabian cultural elements Sunlight is filtered through perforated corten steel screens similar to the traditional Arabic ’Mashrabiya’ that were used to admit natural light without intruding on the privacy of spaces. Jordanian patterns inspired the triangular openings of the screens, while the tones of the surrounding mountains are echoed in the colours of the shotcrete and the rusting metals. The construction of the project is the result of a knowledge exchange programme between the European office of Oppenheim Architecture and the local workforce. Shotcrete pouring techniques were taught to workers in the first phases so that they could take ownership of the construction and obtain specialised skills. A local artist also helped shape the building by applying a traditional pigmentation technique to the interior surfaces, granting a raw, unadorned look that stays true to its context and inspiration. sb 4/2019