The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) has unveiled the hotel designs for its main hub island Shurayrah, focusing on the unique colours, patterns and materials that the natural world holds in order to integrate the surrounding environment with the hotels’ various buildings.
His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince, Chairman of TRSDC, has approved the designs created by lead architect Foster + Partners, which are inspired by the pristine coral reefs that surround it and use a wide variety of shapes and structures to create a stunning paradise for guests. The island will feature 11 hotels and a new lagoon, and has been designed to enhance the island’s biodiversity, while protecting existing habitats.
“Today, I am excited to present to you the designs for Shurayrah Island, Coral Bloom,” explains John Pagano, CEO of TRSDC. “Taking inspiration from the incredible flora and fauna found uniquely in Saudi Arabia, these visionary designs demonstrate The Red Sea Development Company’s commitment to sustainability and regenerative tourism. These plans will not only protect the untouched landscape but actually enhance what is already there.
“We expect guests to be awed by what they see when they first arrive at The Red Sea Project, enjoying a truly immersive barefoot luxury experience. The Coral Bloom designs promise to make that vision a reality.”
TRSDC is committed to delivering a 30% net conservation benefit by 2040. As part of this, it is creating the world’s largest battery storage facility to enable the entire site to be powered by renewable energy 24 hours a day, including the island resorts.
The master plan was informed by an extensive marine spatial planning exercise, which helped identify priority conservation areas. The end result leaves 75% of the islands within the project area untouched, with nine islands designated as special conservation zones.
The island will feature 11 hotels and a new lagoon
“Gerard Evenden, Head of Studio at Foster + Partners, said: “Our Coral Bloom vision is inspired by the island’s natural state, with the hotels designed to give the impression that they have washed up on the beaches almost naturally like driftwood. The materials we use and the low impact they have ensures 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.”
The designs will ensure that Shurayrah Island is not only protected but that steps are taken to actively enhance it. This includes using sand moved from the new lagoon to provide a defensive layer in the middle of the island where building works will take place. The resorts themselves will be created using lightweight materials with a low thermal mass and are manufactured off-site, meaning more energy-efficient construction and less impact on the environment.
“Shurayrah Island is the gateway to The Red Sea Project, so it’s important that it sets the standard in groundbreaking architecture and sustainable design. Not just for our destination, but globally too by going beyond simply protecting the environment to applying a regenerative approach,” said Mr Pagano.
“The materials we use and the low impact they have ensures that the pristine environment is protected”
The Red Sea Project has already passed significant milestones, and work is on track to welcome the first guests by the end of 2022 when the international airport and the first four hotels open. The remaining 12 resorts scheduled for completion in Phase One will open in 2023, delivering 3,000 rooms across five islands and two inland resorts.
Upon completion in 2030, The Red Sea Project will comprise 50 resorts, offering up to 8,000 hotel rooms and around 1,300 residential properties across 22 islands and six inland sites. The destination will also include luxury marinas, golf courses, entertainment and leisure facilities.