Dolphin shaped.
It is difficult to think right now that there is such a paradisiacal place in the world as CoralBloom , the most ambitious project of Saudi Arabia launched by The Red Sea Development Company on the island of Shurayrah , west of the country.
This island has been selected as one of the 22 islands that will be part of the Red Sea development project , which is already being worked on and is expected to open in 2022 . This project will include -nothing more and nothing less- that 50 resorts , which will offer up to 8,000 hotel rooms and around 1,300 residential properties. It will also include luxury marinas, golf courses and leisure and entertainment facilities.
As if it were a grain of sand, there you will find CoralBloom , an island in the shape of a dolphin that emerges from the crystal clear waters of Shurayrah Island. This place alone will house 11 luxury hotels integrated into the natural environment although it is hard to believe.
The Foster + Partners studio is in charge of starting it up. The first thing of all has been to think of a name for the complex; which was relatively easy considering that **the resort will be located on one of the most impressive coral reefs in the world. **
Coral Bloom will be real from 2022.
The main premise for creating Coral Bloom has been that the project be sustainable and regenerative for the island . “Shurayrah Island is the gateway to the Red Sea Project, so it is important that it sets a standard in innovative architecture and sustainable design, not only for our destination, but also globally. This is achieved by going beyond simply protecting the environment, by applying a regenerative approach,” The Red Sea Development Company CEO John Pagano said in a statement.
The company has committed to deliver** a net conservation benefit of 30% by 2040**. In addition, it is creating the world's largest district cooling plant powered by renewable energy 24 hours a day to facilitate efficient centralized cooling throughout the destination, which will be powered by renewable energy , backed in turn by the largest battery storage system in the world.
A hotel on a reef.
This in design translates into a creation that adapts to the dunes of the landscape , with low and isolated buildings between them and made of wood. Biodiversity considerations take center stage, to avoid disruption to the island's mangroves and other habitats, providing natural defenses against erosion , while creating new habitats across the landscape to enhance the natural state of the island.
Gerard Evenden, studio director of Foster + Partners , said: “Our vision for Shurayrah is inspired by the natural state of the island, with hotels designed to feel as if they were created on the very beaches and amongst the dunes almost like driftwood. The materials we use and the low impact they have 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."
Would you like to stay in it?