Shanghai's much anticipated underground hotel is one step closer to completion. According to China Daily, construction has entered its final phase, and inauguration may as well take place later this year.
Located in the Sheshan area in Songjiang district, the Shimao Wonderland Intercontinental Hotel (nicknamed the “deep pit hotel”) is built on an abandoned quarry site. Occupying an area of nearly 50,000 square meters, the five-star hotel is said to spread over 18 floors with a capacity of 336 guest rooms.
The most fascinating feature of the hotel is its floor arrangement. While 16 floors are under ground level, two floors of these are underwater, where guest room windows guarantee views of fish and water plants. Taking advantage of its unique, dramatic location, the hotel has also teased water sports, rock-climbing and bungee-jumping amenities.
Image via China Daily
Image via China Daily
Image via China Daily
“It’s a great opportunity for me to restore the quarry in its original context,” Martin Jochman, the lead architect of the hotel complex, told Sohu. “We get to reuse the structure and grant it new life and meaning.”
Jochman, who was also responsible for the design of the world-renowned Burj Al Arab skyscraper in Dubai, explains that the concept of this complex is to prevent further damage to the ecological environment. As he said, several eco-friendly installations, including geothermal energy and solar energy utilization devices, are featured in the hotel.
Image via Atkins Global
Image via Atkins Global
Image via Atkins Global
Due to the challenges posed by the site itself, completion date on the hotel complex has been postponed several times since the project was first announced back in 2006. As interior decoration and road construction are still underway, there is a chance we may see the hotel in all its splendor by the end of this year.
[Top image via Atkins Global]
