flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Daring hotel design scheme takes the shape of cut amethyst stone

Daring hotel design scheme takes the shape of cut amethyst stone

The hotel symbolizes the regenerative properties amethyst stone is believed to have.


By BD+C Staff | January 20, 2015
Crystalline Amethyst Hotel Rendering NL Architects
Crystalline Amethyst Hotel Rendering NL Architects

The Dutch practice NL Architects designed a proposal for a chain of hotels shaped like a rock cut in half to reveal a gemstone inside, designboom reports. The first Amethyst Hotel is planned for a man-made island development called Ocean Flower in the China sea, north of Hainan.

“A large number of miraculous powers are attributed to the amethyst in all sorts of cultures,” the firm explains on its website. Positive attributes of the amethyst in several cultures include the capacity to purify spaces of negative vibrations and stengthen the immune system.

“All of these properties are most welcome in any hospitality or wellness environment,” the firm adds. “The Amethyst Hotel has the potential to become a [visual] symbol.”

According to the plan, the hotel units would be placed along one perimeter of the structure forming a horseshoe shape, leaving a courtyard in the middle. A faceted glass facade faces the courtyard, and reinforces the crystalline design theme. 

 

Related Stories

Retail Centers | Mar 10, 2015

Retrofit projects give dying malls new purpose

Approximately one-third of the country’s 1,200 enclosed malls are dead or dying. The good news is that a sizable portion of that building stock is being repurposed.

Retail Centers | Mar 10, 2015

Orlando's Skyscraper to be world's tallest roller coaster

The Skyscraper is expected to begin construction later this year, and open in 2016. It will stand at 570 feet. 

Museums | Mar 9, 2015

Architecture based on astronomy principles for new planetarium in Shanghai

The ancient Chinese civilization left some of the earliest records of humans studying the stars and skies. To exhibit this long history, a new planetarium and astronomy museum is planned for construction in Shanghai.

Cultural Facilities | Mar 9, 2015

London council nixes plans to rebuild the Crystal Palace

Plans for the new Crystal Palace Park were scrapped when the city and the project's developer could come to an agreement before the 16-month exclusivity contract expired.

Sponsored | Building Team | Mar 6, 2015

How to give feedback effectively

A great feedback-giving leader evaluates the individual

Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 5, 2015

New HOK designs for St. Louis NFL stadium unveiled

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has assembled a task force to develop plans for an open-air NFL stadium on the North Riverfront of downtown St. Louis.

Reconstruction & Renovation | Mar 5, 2015

Chicago's 7 most endangered properties

Preservation Chicago released its annual list of historic buildings that are at risk of being demolished or falling into decay.

High-rise Construction | Mar 4, 2015

Must see: Egypt planning 656-foot pyramid skyscraper in Cairo

Zayed Crystal Spark Tower will stand 200 meters tall and will be just a short distance from the pyramids of Giza. 

Energy Efficiency | Mar 4, 2015

DOE launches crowdsourcing website for technology innovators

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory launched a new crowdsourcing website called the Buildings Crowdsoucing Community to collect and share ideas by innovators for energy-efficient technologies to use in homes and buildings.

Architects | Feb 27, 2015

5 finalists announced for 2015 Mies van der Rohe Award

Bjarke Ingels' Danish Maritime Museum and the Ravensburg Art Museum by Lederer Ragnarsdóttir Oei are among the five projects vying for the award.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021