Saudi Arabia is home to one of the most ambitious redevelopment projects in the world. And new images of one of the projects were just released, revealing a futuristic ring-shaped hotel hovering over The Red Sea.
Called Ummahat AlShaykh Hotel 12, the unique property is the vision of famed British architecture studio Foster + Partners. The renderings show a series of huts on stilts in a circular formation perched above the crystal blue water. Attached is a sandy island that features bubble-shaped buildings ranging from a lobby and lounge to a seafront restaurant with an infinity pool. The domes also appear to be guest rooms as well with direct access to the water and beach.
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This is one of two hotels set to be built on Ummahat AlShaykh island and is part of the larger Red Sea Project. The project will take 90 undeveloped islands on the west coast of Saudi Arabia and turn them into the "world's most ambitious tourism development." Shurayrah will act as the hub island and is designed to blend in with the natural surroundings. Foster + Partners is also developing a resort called Coral Bloom on that island in the shape of a dolphin.
"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," Gerard Evenden, head of studio at Foster + Partners, said in a statement. "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."
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The Red Sea Project aims to be 100 percent carbon-neutral, with its power coming from renewable energy. There will also be a ban on single-use plastics to aid in protecting the pristine environment.
