Atkins’ Chinese hotel concept is built on the side of an abandoned water-filled quarry and blends with local nature

Atkins has been appointed by Chinese developer Shimao to start work on the Songjiang Quarry Hotel project in China.

The design and engineering consultant will start work on the scheme design phase of the five-star hotel in the Sheshan Mountain area of Songjiang, close to Shanghai.

Built on the side of an abandoned water-filled quarry, sustainability is integral to the design, ranging from using green roofing to exploiting the site’s geothermal heat to generate electricity and heating.

Additionally, a naturally-lit internal atrium incorporates the existing rock face, with its waterfalls and green vegetation.

The design had to blend with its surrounding, given that only two floors project above the rock face of the 100m-deep quarry.

Senior design associate at Atkins, and lead architect Martin Jochman, said: “The design’s ‘green hill’ and ‘hanging gardens’ are a very natural way of integrating the building into its background.”

Songjiang Quarry Hotel is built on the side of an abandoned water-filled quarry
Songjiang Quarry Hotel is built on the side of an abandoned water-filled quarry

The futuristic hotel features underwater public areas, guest rooms and conference facilities for up to 1,000 people, and also includes sport and leisure centres.

Two underwater levels will house a restaurant and guestrooms facing a ten-metre 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.

Atkins will work with Shanghai-based Design Institute on phase two, to be completed by the end of February.

The initial concept will be converted into a scheme design ready to be progressed into detailed design and construction information.

Jochman said: “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.”

Songjiang Quarry Hotel scheme in China blends with its natural environment
Songjiang Quarry Hotel scheme in China blends with its natural environment

Songjiang Quarry Hotel will be based at the Shimao Wonderland theme park, a 500,000m² development which also contains a three-star hotel, a number of entertainment and leisure zones, and residential and commercial elements.

China's largest developer started work on the scheme in September.

Atkins won the international design competition for the hotel in August 2006.

Completion date is before the end of 2010.

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