Construction has begun on what will be the world’s first underwater residence.
Located beneath the Indian Ocean, the $15m, two-storey development will be 5m below the waves, and will feature a transparent dome that offers a 180° view of the ocean.
Called “Muraka”, which translates as “coral” in the Maldivian language of Dhivehi, the project will be built underneath the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island hotel, which is owned by American hotel group Hilton.
The hotel suite will join its sister development, the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant.
The project will be delivered by New Zealand design consultancy MJ Murphy and Maldivian tourism brand Crown Company.
Ahmed Saleem, the designer of Muraka, said: “Driven by our inspiration to deliver innovative and transformative experiences to our global travelers, the world’s first undersea residence encourages guests to explore the Maldives from an entirely new perspective.”
Images courtesy of Conrad Hotels
