UK architect Foster + Partners has unveiled its designs for a tourist resort in Shurayrah, the hub island of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Project.
"Coral Bloom" is focused on biodiversity and the use of landscaping to minimise its impact on the island’s mangroves and other habitats.
The island’s 11 hotels, which will appear to merge with Shurayrah’s dunes, have been designed with extra room space and no corridors to meet visitors’ expectations in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
New beaches and a lagoon will be located on a dolphin-shaped island, which will be raised to protect it from future increases in sea level.
The destination will be powered by renewable energy and will use the world’s largest battery.
Gerard Evenden, Foster + Partners’ head of studio, said: "Our vision for Shurayrah is inspired by the island’s natural state, with the hotels designed to give the impression that they have washed up on the beaches and nestled among the dunes almost like driftwood.
"The materials we use are low impact and ensure that the pristine environment is protected, while the additions we make to the island serve to enhance what is already there – hence the name, Coral Bloom."
When complete, the Red Sea Project will contain 50 resorts, 8,000 hotel rooms and 1,300 homes, spread across 22 islands and six inland developments.
Images courtesy of Foster + Partners
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