Drawing Board

Gran Melia

LOMBOK

Meliá Hotels International has revealed plans to expand its footprint in Indonesia, with Gran Meliá Lombok set to open in 2024.

Located at Torok Bay in the south of the island, the resort comprises 22 villas on the beachfront and a further 105 accommodation units nestled in the mountainside, all with private infinity pools and ocean views. Utilising natural materials such as locally-sourced bamboo, the structures will recognise indigenous architecture and blend seamlessly with the environment, allowing guests to fully immerse themselves in their surroundings.

The entire resort has been conceived as a sanctuary for wellbeing and incorporates a fitness centre and YHI Spa offering relaxing rituals and treatments. In keeping with the Gran Meliá brand, it will also feature world-class dining options, where local ingredients and techniques combine for an authentic Indonesian experience.

Marking Meliá’s 12th property in Indonesia, Gran Meliá Lombok is owned by Invest Islands, a real estate company committed to exploring ecological solutions, whether through the use of native materials and local craftsmen or its organic farm and plastic recycling centre. “Gran Meliá Lombok is a huge milestone for Invest Islands,” comments co-founder Jack Brown. “We are extremely proud to be working with a world leader in hotel operations and one of the key parallels we have with the Meliá brand is a focus on low-carbon developments. Gran Melia Lombok has a very low density of building and a lot of natural green space. Hopefully this is the start of a great relationship that can continue for many years to come and we look forward to bringing Spanish luxury to Lombok, while respecting the natural environment.”

Six Senses

LONDON

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Investor: MARK, CC Land Development Manager: Finchatton Operator: Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas Architecture: Foster + Partners Executive Architect: EPR Architects Interior Design: AvroKO www.sixsenses.com

The first interior renderings of The Whiteley, a landmark development that houses the UK debut from Six Senses, have been revealed.

Formerly home to a luxury department store, the site in Bayswater is being redeveloped by real estate firm Finchatton in collaboration with Foster + Partners, while EPR Architects is working with AvroKO on the design, which includes the preservation of an original Grade II-listed façade, central courtyard and glass dome, together with a statement staircase modelled on Milan’s La Scala.

Inside, the new flagship will feature 110 guestrooms and suites, 14 branded residences, and 1,300ft2 of public space centred around a biophilia-inspired ground floor with a lobby bar, lounge and all-day dining restaurant. There will also be a private members’ social and wellness club – an entirely new offer from Six Senses – with its own dining facilities, lounges and co-working spaces.

The Six Senses Spa is set to play an integral part in the hotel’s offering and will feature a fitness studio, 20m swimming pool, an Alchemy Bar and a relaxation area beneath vaulted ceilings. Reminiscent of an old Underground station, the facility will mirror the different energies of urban life, from the sensory stimulation of the city to the stillness of a quiet park.

Occupying over 1.1 million ft2, the wider development will include a large-scale public courtyard lined with a mix of destination shopping and dining experiences, as well as a cinema and gym. There are also 139 residences available for purchase, ranging from one to five bedrooms with spacious outdoor terraces.

Originally named William Whiteley Limited, the iconic building – which opened its doors in 1911 – has been carefully preserved, with the façade’s famous clock and sculptures set to take pride of place once more, showcasing the building’s original craftsmanship and heritage.

© The Whiteley

Muckno Estate

IRELAND

Architecture firm Scott Brownrigg has revealed its vision for a sustainable tourist hub in County Monaghan, Ireland. The concept has been developed for the partnership between Monaghan County Council and Fáilte Ireland, together with Professor Terry Stevens of Stevens & Associates as key facilitator of the study into tourism research and concepts.

The proposal, which is currently out to public consultation, identifies how land on Muckno Estate in Castleblayney could become an innovative destination that will act as a catalyst for regional tourism growth. Built with significant community involvement, the proposal will deliver benefits that harness the regenerative and wellbeing power of connecting adventure with nature, heritage and culture.

Taking cues from its glacial surroundings, the project comprises a series of glazed domes inspired by Ireland’s drumlins – hills of rock, sand and gravel that form under moving glacier ice – which dominate the area’s topography. A selection of accommodation options include a lakeshore wellness hotel, a dispersed hotel with bedrooms spread across the estate in a variety of settings, and rooms in local guesthouses, pubs and restaurants. The proposals are designed to reflect a shift in interest, particularly since the pandemic, towards more boutique locations with fewer keys and a focus on the locale.

Scott Brownrigg is also aiming for the development to be carbon neutral with each of the domes supported by rammed earth walls made from materials excavated from the site. Locally-sourced timber is used to construct lattice roofs while passive environmental techniques control the internal climate, utilising water from Lough Muckno.

This new vision for the estate fully integrates with the town and wider countryside to ensure multiple benefits for local people and providing guests with an authentic cultural experience.

WWW.GOMMAIRE.COM

Studio City Phase 2

MACAU

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Operator: Melco Resorts & Entertainment Architecture: Zaha Hadid Architects www.zaha-hadid.com

Following a topping-out ceremony, Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) has revealed design details for Phase 2 of Studio City in Macau.

Appointed by Melco Resorts & Entertainment in 2017 to expand the development, ZHA has designed a new 250,000m2 wing comprising two towers with 900 guestrooms and suites, and additional leisure, entertainment and hospitality facilities including one of Asia’s largest water parks and a six-screen cinema together with extensive conference and exhibition spaces. The design concept is informed by the existing resort’s cinematic references, with a contemporary reinterpretation of the rich detailing, bold geometries and craftsmanship of the Art Deco period.

Across the development, significant attention has been paid to sustainability and the environment, with a high-performance building envelope as well as highly efficient services and systems to reduce energy demand.

The towers are made up of three different gradations of insulated glass with external fins that delineate their verticality and serve to provide shading to reduce solar heat gain and glare. Furthermore, the orientation and configuration of the elliptical towers has been calculated to facilitate natural ventilation within and around the resort. The project’s ecologist also developed preservation measures for the site’s existing flora together with compensatory planting of species compatible with the region.

“Zaha Hadid Architects and Melco share the same vision and determination to push boundaries,” comments Viviana Muscettola, Director of ZHA. “Studio City Phase 2 continues our 10-year collaboration with Melco that includes the Morpheus Hotel at the City of Dreams in Macau. Extending the thriving Studio City resort, the highly adaptable spaces of Phase 2 have been developed by a truly global team of professionals.”

Moxy

TROMSØ

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner / Developer: Daimyo Eiendom Operator: Core Hospitality www.corehospitality.dk

Having previously announced plans to open a Moxy in Tromsø in 2023, Marriott International and Core Hospitality have revealed that construction is now under way.

Certified by BREEAM as a sustainable building and by Green Key for sustainable operations, the 200-key property will look to immerse travellers in the landscape by elevating its public spaces.

“We are delighted to have begun construction on this project,” says Anne Aubert, Project Manager at Daimyo Eiendom, a Norwegian investment firm that backs sustainable companies and properties across Scandinavia. “Moxy Tromsø is no exception, with high ambitions for sustainability and double certification from BREEAM and Green Key.”

Per Denker Sørensen, CEO of third-party management company Core Hospitality, comments: “We are eager to open a unique hotel in Norway that differs from the market’s saturation of local brands. The natural beauty of Tromsø is evident, so we decided to locate the reception and communal areas on the 11th floor. This allows all our guests to enjoy the wonderful view while they have a meal and cocktails from the bar.”

Denker Sørensen, who collaborated with Marriott International on Moxy Copenhagen and the recently-opened Moxy Bergen, adds: “We are very pleased to be launching yet another Moxy in Norway. Moxy Tromsø will be truly unique compared to the other hotel chains in the city. We are looking forward to operating Marriott’s northernmost property.”

Moxy currently has 109 hotels in the pipeline, including outposts in Düsseldorf, Bangkok and Los Angeles set to open in 2022; Berlin, Sydney and Mumbai in 2023; and Venice, Montreal and Warsaw in 2024. The brand’s newest opening landed in Manchester in December, bringing 146 guestrooms, a living room-style lobby and a bar to the Spinningfields district.

Dream Miami at Riverside Wharf

MIAMI

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner: Driftwood Capital Developer: MV Real Estate Holdings Operator: Dream Hotel Group Architecture: Cube3 Landscaping: Savino Miller Design Studios www.dreamhotelgroup.com

Dream Hotel Group has announced plans to open a 165-key hotel at Riverside Wharf – a 200ft2 development along the Miami River.

Scheduled to open in 2025, the project is being led by Miami-based developer MV Real Estate Holdings in conjunction with Driftwood Capital, while Cube3 is responsible for the architecture and Savino Miller Design Studios for the landscaping.

Located on 600 linear feet of water frontage in the heart of Downtown, Dream Miami features six dining and nightlife venues, a 30,000ft2 rooftop pool deck and nightclub with skyline views, as well as a 10,000ft2 event hall, health and wellness facilities and a private marina capable of accommodating mega yachts.

“There is a natural synergy between Dream Hotel Group and the city of Miami,” says CEO Jay Stein. “Our leading lifestyle brand continues to expand quickly, just like Miami, offering international hospitality, vibrant entertainment and one-of-a-kind experiences sought by local residents, as well as business travellers and pleasure seekers from across the globe. We are thrilled to take part in this extraordinary project and can’t wait to open our doors in 2025.”

The hotel will be a centrepiece of the US$185 million mixed-use development, which reinterprets the Miami River into a vertical composition of flowing concrete forms that are carved by the movement of water. Multiple podium levels will offer unique vantage points of both Downtown and the river, and also serve to draw the urban entertainment facilities out to the water’s edge, enriching the public promenade. Materials inside and out – including a Corten steel façade on the street side – pay homage to the rustic fishing vessels that once worked these waters.

The announcement follows the recent signings of Dream Louisville, Dream Oklahoma City and Unscripted Oklahoma City in the US.

© Riverside Wharf