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Desert Rock

SAUDI ARABIA

The Red Sea Development Company, the developer behind one of the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism projects, has revealed plans for Desert Rock – a new resort built into the Saudi mountain landscape.

Conceived by Oppenheim Architecture, the project is designed to protect and preserve the environment, allowing guests to connect with the surrounding nature and culture of the region. The 60-key resort will comprise 48 villas and 12 guestrooms –ranging from ground level dwellings to crevice hotel suites and a select number of excavated rooms within the rock massif itself. A world-class spa and fitness centre, remote destination dining areas and a feature lagoon oasis will complete the offer.

In line with TRSDC’s commitment to regenerative tourism, Desert Rock aims to acheive the highest Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification. As such, it is been designed to reduce energy consumption and regenerate native flora, with water retention and distribution systems installed throughout. Furthermore, materials excavated from the site will be reused to form the site infrastructure.

“Desert Rock is one of the most dramatic desert landscapes in the world, which is why we wanted to use the architecture as a way to honour and respect it,” explains Chad Oppenheim, founder of Oppenheim Architecture. “By utilising natural materials and integrating the resort into the rock, guests can connect physically with the destination and experience Saudi Arabia’s stunning natural beauty.”

Banyan Tree Varko Bay

GREECE

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner / Developer: RND Investments Operator: Banyan Tree Group Architecture and Interior Design: Elastic Architect & Interiors www.banyantree.com

Banyan Tree has revealed plans to open its first European resort in Greece’s Varko Bay. Financed by RND Investments and featuring architecture and interiors by Elastic, the development will comprise 121 villas and 43 private residences, multiple dining options and a subterranean spa.

“With our robust momentum in business development and pipeline of new openings, we are happy to plant our first Banyan Tree resort in Europe on the scenic Varko Bay in Greece,” comments Ho Kwon Ping, founder and Executive Chairman of Banyan Tree Group. “Forming part of the Banyan Tree-Accor strategic partnership, Banyan Tree Varko Bay is set to be an exceptional luxury destination as global travel gradually returns.”

Located on the east coast of Ionian Sea, the resort is hewn directly into the rock, with atriums that bring light to the spaces beneath. Concealed below ground, the spa will follow a hightouch, low-tech mantra that sees traditional Asian healing therapies practiced across eight treatment rooms, which are accompanied by an outdoor pool, indoor hydrotherapy pool, gym and beauty area.

Sustainability is deeply ingrained in the project too, with initiatives including renewable energy sources, grey water recycling and ecofriendly building practices – such as planted roofs that correspond with the surrounding flora and low-slung elevations clad in extracted white stone – to reduce carbon emissions.

“Varko Bay will be defined as the ultraluxury destination in the Ionic region,” says Gregoir Chikaher, Director of Development at RND Investments. “Sustainability is at the forefront of the design philosophy, with the aim of being the first in Greece to achieve the LEED Gold certification. The bold encaving of many structural elements is indicative of the lengths to which the owners are prepared to go to minimise the environmental impact.”

© RND Investments

The Standard

BANGKOK

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Operator: Standard International Architecture: Ole Scheeren Interior Design: Hayon Studio www.stndintl.com

Standard International has unveiled plans to expand its global footprint with ten new properties over the next four years. The latest additions to the company’s portfolio include The Standard Hua Hin arriving later this year, and The Standard Ibiza opening in 2022.

The group is also set to plant its first flag in Bangkok with The Standard, Bangkok Mahankhon, a 78-storey tower that will become its Asia flagship. Housed within the King Power Mahanakon Building, the mixed-use developement has been envisioned by Spanish artist-designer Jaime Hayon in collaboration with The Standard’s in-house design team. The project will comprise 155 guestrooms, a penthouse and a terrace pool, together with a fitness centre, meeting rooms and a variety of food, drink and nightlife venues – from The Parlor and Tea Room to The Standard Grill, as well as Thailand’s first outpost from acclaimed Cantonese restaurant Mott 32.

“We are incredibly proud to announce the openings of The Standard Hua Hin, which is set for December, our incredible Asia flagship, The Standard Bangkok Mahanakhon, which will debut next year, as well as our second property in Europe, The Standard Ibiza,” says Standard International CEO, Amar Lalvani. “This has been a time of unprecedented crisis for the hospitality industry and the millions of people around the world who work in the sector. Amidst such challenges, we are incredibly grateful that we continue to be able to delight our guests, serve our communities and create new opportunities for our team members by building landmark hotels around the world.”

The group is exploring further sites across the globe as part of its international expansion plans, with openings on the horizon in Singapore, Melbourne and Lisbon in 2023, while projects in Dublin, Brussels and Las Vegas are slated for 2025.

Mandarin Oriental Etiler

ISTANBUL

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner / Developer: Astas Holding, Yapi & Yapi Operator: Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Architecture: UNStudio Interior Design: FM Architettura www.mandarinoriental.com

FM Architettura has revealed the interior design scheme for Mandarin Oriental Etiler, a 158-key hotel scheduled to open in Istanbul in 2022.

Forming part of a three-tower development that also comprises 16 serviced apartments and 251 private residences – all connected by a terraced pedestal with amenities, boutiques and views of the Bosphorus – the property takes cues from an imaginary journey along the Silk Road, with FM Architettura evoking a garden of stolen roses – in homage to how the flowers were secretly transported and traded – across more than 10,000m2 of fully bespoke interiors.

“Traditionally, Istanbul was the gateway between Europe and the Middle East, representing the last stop of the Silk Road,” says the studio’s founder, Francesca Muzio. “It felt natural to draw inspiration from the network that connected this array of cultures.”

Another key point of reference for the project was caravanserais, or roadside buildings that sheltered merchants and kept them safe from highwaymen when traversing the ancient route. FM Architettura’s aim was to create a modern caravanserai for like-minded travellers to exchange ideas, entertain conversations and trades. As such, the practice researched patterns, symbols and elements from years gone by, before applying its own version of the Cintamani pattern – worn by Sultans of the Ottoman Empire to protect them with physical grit and spiritual fortitude – to furniture and walls as a good blessing for the building.

“We used the tactility of precious fabrics, the radiance of brushed brass, and the smell of scented woods to trigger emotion,” Muzio adds.

From the guestrooms to the lobby, cinema and spa, the design also acts as a contemporary interpretation of Turkish heritage and all its influences, with FM Architettura paying tribute to the exterior architecture’s modern style by way of custom-made furniture with fluid lines.

Domino

ZANZIBAR

New York and Dubai-based architecture firm xCassia has signed an agreement with the Tanzania AICL Group and Edinburgh Crowland Management to design the forthcoming Zanzibar Domino Commercial Tower.

Situated on a 20-hectare, 4km-long site on Zanzibar’s west coast, the 370,000m2 mixeduse development is planned over three key sites linked via a high and low bridge structure: the Arrivals Plaza, Domino Tower and Island Resort. The former acts as a stage-set triage point from which traffic can be managed on and off the island, whilst also offering shopping and dining experiences. The tower comprises two branded residences that rise towards hotel apartments, a five- and six-star hotel totaling 360 keys, and an observation deck accessed via a series of panoramic lifts.

Privately accessed by helicopter, boat or bridge, the Island Resort will house 104 overwater villas ranging between 360-500m2 . The resort will also feature four helipads and berth arrival docks connecting the residences to a lighthouse structure, as well as a wedding chapel, three-par golf course, three pavilions, F&B and event spaces.

“First sketched in Paris in 2009 after my late father, two sons and I played a round of dominos, I dreamed of building this project for over a decade,” explains Jean-Paul Cassia, founder and Design Director of xCassia. “Between its innate mathematical order and geometries found in nature, its pure lines and proportions that evoke growth, progress and freedom, it had all the bearings of an icon anyone could remember and draw on a paper napkin. All it lacked was the right visionary investor and site to make it come true.”

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Hotel Nudibranch

WENZHOU

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner: Pingyang Tourism Investment Company Architecture: SpActrum www.spactrum.com

Beijing and Shanghai-based architectural design studio SpActrum has revealed its vision for Hotel Nudibranch, an eco-friendly resort in the East China Sea.

Located on Nanji Islands off the coast of Wenzhou, the resort spans multiple buildings with the design inspired by the sea creatures found in the surrounding ocean. Its namesake, Nudibranch, is a species of mollusc with a shell and outstretched tentacles; this translates as a conchiform structure housing the guestrooms and legs providing access to the elevated restaurants, bars, swimming pool and spa.

In addition to the concept’s ode to natural form, SpActrum has ensured that environmental concerns are considered in the project’s low energy consumption and zero-emission design, from the double-skin, solar-powered shells of the guest towers that provide natural ventilation to eco-friendly technologies that create a sense of dependency on the natural environment.

The silhouette that the structure casts onto the lower levels also provides shade from the summer sun, cooling guests without the need for air conditioning. In efforts to minimise water waste, the top floor is equipped with rainwater harvesting devices, as well as technology designed to recycle greywater from showers and sinks. Furthermore, to avoid creating pollutants from incineration, the hotel is equipped with a state-of-the-art pyrolysis waste system to generate power sustainably.

Nestled between the island’s leafy mountains, guestrooms provide unique dual-aspect views of sunrise and sunset from east to west. Although the project is only at concept stage, SpActrum’s vision has the potential to not only enhance the island’s tourism, but to encourage ecological protection whilst providing guests with a unique experience of the natural landscape around them.

Art Tbilisi

GEORGIA

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has announced the debut of its newest brand, Registry Collection Hotels, with a 100-key flagship in Georgia. Slated to open in early 2023, Art Tbilisi, a Registry Collection Hotel, will be located in Abanotubani in the city’s historic Old Town.

Nestled on a hill with views of the area’s traditional brick houses, the property is situated opposite Tbilisi’s hot springs and sulphuric baths. Inside, it will feature stylish guestrooms, comprising a mix of suites, deluxe and executive accommodation options, as well as a restaurant serving local delicacies and a rooftop wine bar with access to a garden overlooking the Mtkvari river. Other facilities include a fitness centre and wellness area with its own private thermal bathhouse and sauna.

“Our newest brand is the perfect option for independent luxury hotel owners who want to maintain their spirit while tapping into the global scale, capability and loyalty of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, which is even more relevant as the industry recovers from the challenges of the global pandemic,” says Dimitris Manikis, President for EMEA at Wyndham. “We are incredibly proud to introduce our Registry Collection brand and this property to Georgia, a destination that has become hugely popular thanks to its charming architecture, rich culture, delectable cuisine and many historic sites.”

Wyndham’s growing portfolio in Georgia includes Wyndham Grand Tbilisi, Wyndham Batumi, Ramada By Wyndham Tbilisi Old City, and Ramada Encore Tbilisi, in addition to a development pipeline of 11 hotels across the country. In recent years, Georgia has experienced a record number of visitors, with tourism accounting for around 18% of its total GDP. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, according to analytics company GlobalData, by 2025 the total travel and tourism spend by all visitors in the country is forecast to grow by 40%.