| Special Project
In Nature’s Lap
Set in the heart of an entirely unpredictable, stunning landscape,
Songjiang Quarry Hotel is set to become a luxury hotspot,
and perhaps the greenest hotel ever made, writes JAYANTHI
NARAYAN.
A quarry is a rather unlikely destination for a swank hotel.
Perhaps that’s what makes the concept of Songjiang Quarry
Hotel so awe-inspiring. Indeed, design and engineering consultancy
Atkins won an international design competition for the five-star
hotel back in August 2006 and their vision is in the process
of being transformed into reality by Chinese developer Shimao.
Destination Songjiang
The satellite town of Songjiang is approximately 35 km from
Shanghai city centre and well connected to existing transport
infrastructure. Sprawling land-scapes and natural beauty have
made it a popular tourist destination and the district has
been designated as an important local and national leisure
resource.
The design of the Songjiang Quarry Hotel is meant to reflect
the natural landscape of the quarry. “The winning concept
was inspired by the stunning location and the natural environment
of the rocky cliffs, waterfalls and surrounding hills,”
says Martin Jochman, Atkins, UK, lead architect for the project.
“It is quite a unique environment, so close to the dense
urban development of Shanghai, so it is important to use and
enhance it.”
Design excellence
The project will see the construction of a five-star, 400-bedroom
hotel built into the side of a disused, 90 m deep, water-filled
quarry. The hotel will be operated by Sheraton as a sport
and leisure-oriented spa resort. As Jochman says, the concept
design has attracted tremendous interest across the world.
“And we’re excited to be bringing the hotel an
important step closer to reality,” he adds.
Sustainability is integral to the design, ranging from the
use of green roofing to exploiting the site’s geothermal
heat to generate electricity and heating. “It has always
been the intention to make this development a showpiece of
green design in China,” explains Jochman. “Apart
from the green roof, it is intended that many features, ranging
from geothermal energy to solar energy utilisation, are included
in this project.” The reasons for the green roof are
two-fold: it is both for the building to fit seamlessly into
the surrounding environment and become a ‘natural’
part of the local topography, and also for its eco-friendly
and energy saving qualities.
“Sustainability is perhaps the most important part
of any architect’s design,” says Jochman. “We
prioritise the inclusion of as many sustainable features as
possible and the Songjiang Hotel is no exception. We intend
to include features such as solar power, ground water energy
extraction and green roofs. They promote sus-tainability issues
and actively contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions.”
The next stage of the design development converts Atkins’
initial concept into a scheme design ready to be progressed
into detailed design and construction information. This work
will be carried out jointly with the Shanghai-based Design
Institute.
Top-drawer amenities
Apart from an awe-inspiring location, a cascading waterfall
from the top of the quarry into the pool below it, and striking
waveform architecture, the Songjiang Quarry Hotel will have
plenty to offer. The futuristic hotel features underwater
public areas, guest rooms and conference faci-lities for up
to 1,000 people, and also inc-ludes sport and leisure centres.
Two under-water levels will house a restaurant and guestrooms
facing a 10 m deep aquarium.
The lowest level of the hotel will contain a leisure complex
with a swimming pool and water-based sports. An extreme sports
centre for activities such as rock climbing and bungee jumping
will be cantilevered over the quarry and accessed by special
lifts from the water level of the hotel. Also, a transparent
glass ‘waterfall’ located in the centre of the
building is a major architectural feature.
“The project is currently in the detailed design stage
and infrastructure work on site has already started last October,”
Jochman informs us. “Building work of the structure
should commence this July and the target for completion is
end of 2009, in time for the 2010 Shanghai International Expo.”
By building the hotel where it is, designers and developers
hope to prevent further damage to the ecological environment
around it. And with geo-thermal energy expected to power all
of its five-star facilities, the Songjiang Quarry Hotel may
become just about the greenest hotel ever made.
Songjiang Quarry Hotel
Owner: Shimao
Operated by: Sheraton Group
Location: Songjiang District, China
Green roof type: Semi-extensive
Roof size: 37,237 sq ft
Architect: Atkins
Lead architect: Martin Jochman
Quote
“Apart from the green roof many features, ranging from
geothermal energy to
solar energy utilisation, are included in this project.”
- Martin Jochman, Atkins
A transparent glass ‘waterfall’ located in the
centre of the building is a major architectural feature.
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