The history of architects designing resorts is intertwined with the development of the hospitality industry and the concept of leisure travel. The origins can be traced back to ancient times when the Romans built luxurious villas and bathhouses as retreats for the wealthy. However, the modern notion of resorts emerged during the 19th century with industrialization and the growing middle class seeking recreational experiences.
At a very high standard of luxury, resort hotels provide an immersive and rejuvenating vacation experience. These resorts are frequently rooted in beautiful landscapes in remote locations, often containing full-service accommodations, offering escapism and complete disconnection. Architects have continued to shape the resort landscape in recent decades with their designs. Sustainability and integration with natural surroundings have gained importance as architects strive to create environmentally conscious and immersive resort experiences.
This week’s curated selection of Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights interior design projects submitted by the ArchDaily community. From a countryside home in Greece to redesigning the Hilton at Universal Studios, this selection of projects showcases what resort design is shaping into. Moreover, it highlights the future of sustainability and environmentally conscious travel in the hospitality industry.
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A Portuguese Botanical Space and a 19th Century Rehabilitated Water Reservoir: 8 Unbuilt Hospitality Facilities Submitted to ArchDailyRead on to discover 8 curated resort design projects, along with their project descriptions from the architects.
Resort Air
Kyriakos Tsolakis Architects have designed the first mass-timber building in Cyprus, a 320-room resort in the foothills of the Troodos mountains. The building consists of three pivoting circles, allowing the hill to cascade through its centers, ensuring the site’s natural habitat is respected and preserved. The architects started with a typical double-sided hotel layout, where guest rooms are either sea view or inland view, and bent the form into a ring shape to increase the circumference along the ‘sea view’ edge.
Asiyabsar Resort Complex
The Asiyabsar residential complex was designed considering the definition of residential use, the shape of the site, and the project diagram. The project started with constructing a residential complex with around 16 double rooms on land with an area of approximately 2000 square meters. Initially, the client wanted an apartment hotel. Still, the design team convinced them by proposing a set of independent units transformed from a high-rise building in the middle of the garden to cottages in the forest.
Hilton Hotel Expansion at Universal Studios, Los Angeles
line+ studio, led by architect Zhu Peidong, has designed the expansion of the Hilton Hotel in Universal Studios, Los Angeles. The new 15-story tower will house 395 guest rooms, two swimming pools, restaurants, a spa, and other facilities, and will introduce the high-end "Curio Collection by Hilton" brand. The design features dynamic grids, with a silver façade of multiple modules and a copper core inspired by the Strelitzia flower and the classic films and television shows of Universal Studios. The Hill-Valley Oasis will connect guests to the surrounding urban landscape, while Public Compatible will renew the public environment.line+ aims to create a new generation travel destination with unique content experience and image perception.
Aeriko' Outdoor Hotel
Aeriko' is an outdoor - ecolodge concept to take place inside an olive grove in the rural landscape of Greece. Usually, eco-lodges offer accommodation with a clear distinction between indoor and outdoor space. Our concept is based on 'erasing' this division to create an exceptional 'stay in nature' experience in direct contact with the natural environment and its elements.
Farah Beach Bungalows
The project consists of configuring five bungalows, a three-sided infinity pool, and a service block on a narrow but long plot, with the latter side parallel to the sea with impressive views of the beach and its beautiful turquoise blue hue. All the bungalows face the sea and are divided into one of 82 m² with the social, service, and support areas, and three of 20 m² each with a queen size bed, bathroom, and front terrace. Finally, one of 62 m² distributed in two levels with a king bed, bathroom, closet, front terrace, and jacuzzi with a lounge on the upper level. Each bungalow has direct front access to an overwater dock for chaise lounges, daybeds, a lounge with a fire pit, and a floating overwater hammock.
ELLIE HOTEL
The ELLIE Hotel is located in An Thuong Beach town, which has the busiest street for tourists in Da Nang. Its main architectural feature is inspired by the vision of spectacular waterfalls in the forest's heart. This influence contributes to the building's unique green architectural form, which stands out throughout the day. The vision of spectacular waterfalls in the heart of the forest inspires ELLIE HOTEL's main architectural feature. This influence contributes to the building's unique green architectural form, which stands out throughout the day
Preistoriche Green Lodge
Preistoriche Green Lodge will showcase 8 Lodges (fully-equipped Suites) built on low stilts immersed in the woods. The innovative choice of sustainable design creates a dreamlike atmosphere, the integration of an Indoor/Outdoor experience, and exceptional architectural qualities. The individual elements making up the complex are connected by suspended walkways, forming multiple contemplative paths through the greenery.
BAOBAB Luxury Safari Resort
MASK Architects has designed the world's first Eco-Tourism based BAOBAB Luxury Safari Resort in Africa. It produces its water autonomously using ‘Air to Water technology’ energy powered by transparent solar device covered curtain glass. That will be a part of our new concept that we envision to create a sustainable and ecological community in Africa. The project aims not only to create a unique luxury residence but also to seek innovative, sustainable, and environmental solutions to problems based on constructive and restorative project generation processes arising from the geological, climatic, and environmental factors in which the project is located. With this project, we aim to make the most basic need of water accessible rather than a luxury experience and to prevent hunger, thirst, and the diseases and deaths its causes.
HOW TO SUBMIT AN UNBUILT PROJECT
We highly appreciate the input from our readers and are always happy to see more projects designed by them. If you have an Unbuilt project to submit, click here and follow the guidelines. Our curators will review your submission and get back to you in case it is selected for a feature.
