Commissioned to design a pair of hotels on a choice beachfront spot in a Chinese tourist resort, Büro Ole Scheeren has taken on the challenge with typical ambition. Instead of creating two separate towers as one might expect, the firm will stack six large curving structures into one unified high-rise and cover it in greenery.
Sanya Horizons is reminiscent of the firm's award-winning collaboration with OMA and will be located in Sanya, which is a popular tourist destination in China. It will reach a height of 160 m (524 ft) and feature a latticed facade that will help shade the hotel interiors. Lush greenery will adorn both the facade and rooftops, in a way likened to a "vertical jungle" by the firm. Additionally, its dramatically curving form does have a practical purpose, says Büro Ole Scheeren, as it will maximize the view as well as reduce wind loads.
"Sanya Horizons' stacked horizontal volumes are planimetrically curved to embrace the ocean and further enhance the abundant vistas, with every hotel room given its own private terrace and 100 percent unobstructed sea views," explained Büro Ole Scheeren. "Through the offsets and openings between the volumes, a wide spectrum of natural plantings and gardens emerges throughout the building, almost doubling the amount of green space on the site.
"Besides the overall structural efficiency of the combined hotel volumes, the multiple large-scale openings of the building increase the porosity and thereby minimize structural wind loads. Single-loaded hotel room layouts allow for complete natural cross-ventilation and reduce the need for mechanical cooling. The facade consists of a deep hexagonal grid of balconies and walkways that provides complete protection from the sun and thereby dramatically further reduces the building's energy footprint."
The interior layout will be split between one hotel on the lower levels and another taking up the upper floors, plus there will be some retail space too. Each hotel room will boast its own swimming pool and the building will also feature a so-called Sky Terrace and Sky Deck that have restaurants, lounges and lush landscaping.
At roughly half way up the building, the Horizons Window will offer a multifunction outdoor deck with excellent views. According to the firm, the infinity pool located here will be one of the largest in the world at 153 m (roughly 500 ft) in length.
As well as all the greenery on the building, there will also be a large number of plants and trees surrounding it, with the undulating landscape meant to reference the nearby ocean waves.
Sanya Horizons is due to begin construction later this year and it's expected to be completed in 2026.
Source: Büro Ole Scheeren
