China has been a front runner in the building the biggest skyscrapers in the world. But giving a fresh twist to the idea, China has started working on a huge underground hotel project in Shanghai.
This five-star hotel project is the winning entry of an international design competition. UK architecture office Atkins will offer around 380 rooms, underwater restaurants, shopping facilities, conference facilities, cafes, a swimming pool, a 10-meter deep aquarium and various sport activities … all in an unusual location within a 90 meter deep water filled abandoned quarry close to Shanghai.
The Shimao Intercontinental Hotel is part of a larger 428,000 square-meter theme park called Shanghai Shimao Wonderland. The hotel is scheduled to open in late 2014 or early 2015.
The hotel will have a total of 19 floors — three of which will be above ground with the remaining 16 extending into the bottom of the pit. The hotel rooms are expected to start at $320 per night.
The hotel will produce its own electrical energy utilizing geothermal power. Green landscape will layer its roof that will rise only 15 meters above the quarry.
The owner, Shanghai Shimao Property Group, has so far invested RMB3.5 million (US$555 million) into the entire Shanghai Shimao Wonderland site.
