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As reported by The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), His Royal Highness Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, the Chairman of the Board of TRSDC, has launched the construction of a resort on the island of Shurayrah, which will be created according to the concept of Coral Bloom. This concept had been developed by the world's leading architectural firm Foster+Partners.
In 2022, the first stage of the tourist mega-project The Red Sea Project will open on the western shore of the Red Sea, which will cover an area of more than 28,000 square kilometers and will become the world's most ambitious project in the field of regenerative tourism. International airport and four hotels on the island of Shurayrah will be the first guests.
"Hotels in the island of Shurayrah will start to work first, so we need to set standards to fundamentally new architecture and environmental design, not only for our strategy, but for the world as a whole. In our work, we do not just protect the environment, but take a regenerative approach," said John Pagano, the CEO of TRSDC.
Shurayrah is just one of 22 islands selected by TRSDC for development. The developers will leave the remaining 75% of the islands of the region untouched to preserve their original appearance.
The design project takes into account the unique nature of Saudi Arabia, and the concept of its preservation is central to the development plan. Thus, it provides for the protection of mangroves and the preservation of other habitats, including corals. The project includes the creation of new beaches along with a lagoon on the island, stretched out in the shape of a dolphin. The construction will help to raise the land level, ensuring protection from flooding. The landscape design will provide natural protection from the erosion of the coastline and improve the natural state of the island.
On the island of Shurayrah, the construction of 11 hotels is planned. During their construction, the natural landscape of the island will be taken into account as much as possible, all hotels and villas will be harmoniously integrated into it, compactly located among the dunes. Thanks to the absence of high-rise buildings, the spectacular views of the island will be able to open up one by one without hindrance.
The design of the hotels will also be adapted to the new requirements of travelers. For example, the buildings will not have internal corridors, so that guests could relax separetely from other guests and not cross paths with them in public places. The resort complexes themselves are created using ready-made modules with a low thermal mass, which means energy-efficient construction with minimal environmental impact.
"The nature of Shurayrah inspired us to design hotels so that they look like driftwood washed up on the shore and lost among the dunes. The materials that we use in construction have not only a minimal impact on the environment, but even contribute to its improvement-hence the name of the design project Coral Bloom, " says Gerard Evenden, the Head of the architectural bureau Foster+Partners.
The project will be built on an area of more than 28,000 square kilometers along the coast of Saudi Arabia and will occupy a vast archipelago of more than 90 islands. There are also mountain canyons, dormant volcanoes and ancient cultural heritage sites. The resort will include hotels, residential real estate, commercial and social infrastructure, cultural and recreational amenities, and ancillary infrastructure with a focus on renewable energy and water conservation and reuse.
Despite the global pandemic, The Red Sea Project is on schedule, according to which the resort will invite guests from the end of 2022, when the international airport and the first four hotels will open. The remaining 11 hotels will be ready in 2023.
By 2030, The Red Sea Project will include 50 resort complexes offering up to 8,000 hotel rooms, and about 1,300 residential properties on 22 islands and six continental sites. The resort area will include luxury marinas, golf courses, recreational and cultural facilities. The master plan of construction provides for the development of 25% of the territory, leaving the remaining 75% intact.
