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HOTEL SET WITHI N A BEAUTIFUL WATER-FILLED QUARRY

If yo u are looking for really something different, this might be it. Atkins has won an international competition to design a five-star resort hotel set within a bea u tif u l 100 meter deep q u arry in the Songjiang district close to Shanghai in China . I know that from these pict u res the hotel looks almost u nreal, b u t this project is expected to be completed by May, 2009. Its st u nning concept designs inspired by the nat u ral water and landscape feat u res of the q u arry capt u red the ima gin ation of j u dges to q u ash competition from two other international firms. The q u arry will provide protection from the weather, and red u ce the energy needs of the hotel. The complex will contain resta u rants, cafes, sport facilities, and will even incl u de u nderwater p u blic areas and g u estrooms.


The innovative design of the 400-bed resort hotel stands two levels higher than the rock face of the 100 metre deep q u arry and incl u des u nderwater p u blic areas and g u estrooms. It will incorporate conference facilities for u p to 1,000 people, a banq u eting centre, resta u rants, cafés and sports facilities. S u stainability is integral to the design ran gin g from u sing green roofing for the str u ct u res above the gro u nd level to geothermal energy extraction. An aq u atic theme r u ns thro u gh the design both vis u ally and f u nctionally. Two u nderwater levels will ho u se a resta u rant and g u estrooms facing a ten-metre deep aq u ari u m. The lowest level of the hotel will contain a leis u re complex with a swimming pool and water-based sports. An extreme sports centre for activities s u ch as rock climbing and b u ngee j u mping will be cantilevered over the q u arry and accessed by special lifts from the water level of the hotel.