Sheik Saud and Rakeen of Ras Al-Khaimah has appointed the Norwegian architecture firm Snhetta the prestigious task of creating an iconic gateway building for the new capital city of Ras Al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. The approx. 300,000 m2 complex will contain a Congress Center, Exhibition Halls, Shopping Center, 5+ Star Hotel, 5 Star Hotel, and a 4 Star Hotel.
Architect: Snohetta Via: Pushpullbar
This shellfish-inspired luxury hotel blends perfectly onto the coastline of this tropical beach
Inspired by shellfish, the Nudibranch hotel comes with an instantly recognizable shell-like facade and has ‘tentacles’ that stretch out in different directions, creating a piece of architecture that looks absolutely stunning from any angle.
The hotel gets its name from the Nudibranch, a species of soft-bodied gastropod mollusks known for shedding their shells after their larval stage. The animals are often known for their incredible design characterized by vibrant colors and hypnotic patterns (often an indication of an animal being toxic), and the hotel follows that trend too, with its grand design comprising a glass facade and lawn-covered public spaces.
The hotel’s glass ‘shell’ forms its most recognizable element. The two shells act as the hotel’s main buildings, with coastal views for each. The rest of the hotel’s ‘body’ surrounds these two shells, forming lawns and pathways above the sandy coast of the beach, guiding you to the hotel’s several amenities, from its restaurants and bars to the spa, swimming pools, and finally back to your room at the hotel. The animal-inspired building comes with signature tentacles too, that sort of form the entrances and exit roads, cutting through the wilderness to let you arrive at or check out of your destination.
The Nudibranch Hotel is a Gold Winner of the A’ Design Award for the year 2021.
Designer: SpActrum
The Tallest Tower In Latin America
Group Danhos has commissioned the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) to design Torre Bicentenario in the centre of Mexico City which will become the tallest building in Latin America. Completion is scheduled for 2010 to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Mexico’s Independence. The building will accommodate over 160,000 sqft of office space, a convention centre, site museum, gym, as well as retail and restaurants. The 300 meter tall building will be located at the intersection of Reforma and Anillo Perife Rico, in the northeast corner of Mexico City’s Chapultepec Park, home to the Presidential residence.
Looking like 2 inverted pyramids bridged by a lobby where shuttles and elevators pass thru, it boasts a viewing deck over the park and the city. Two voids penetrate the building at its widest point providing ventilation and natural light. Whilst traditional high-rises tend to internalize this feature with an atrium, the Torre Bicentenario projects it onto the facade cutting into the building. A pattern of reflective glass panels covering 50% of the interior surface maximizes light penetration. The void twists at its midpoint, opening at the bottom toward the park and at the top toward the city, connecting the building to its surroundings.
Architect: OMA
