Drawing Board

Mantis

BAHRAIN HAWAR ISLAND

Accor has signed a partnership deal with Edamah to introduce the Mantis brand to the Middle East, with a new resort on Bahrain’s Hawar Island. Slated to open in 2024, the 72-key project will comprise a beach resort encompassing overwater villas with direct access to the sea, five dining concepts, extensive sports and leisure facilities ranging from a waterpark to meditation spaces, as well as a private helipad.

“We are noticing that travellers are now more than ever looking for authentic experiences when travelling, while remaining conscious of the environment,” comments Mark Willis, CEO of Accor India, Middle East, Africa & Turkey. “In fact, they are becoming even more aware of the impact that an increase in tourism has on the environment and heritage sites, which puts sustainability at the centre of seasoned traveller’s decision-making. Mantis is the ideal brand to address these concerns.”

Situated on the west coast of the UNESCO-recognised Hawar Island, the property will be surrounded by a wildlife sanctuary making, it one of the first environmentally-focused projects in the region. Initiatives and systems will also be implemented to sort waste and reduce water and energy consumption to minimise impact. “The island’s pristine environment has been virtually undisturbed, resulting in a vibrant ecosystem which will appeal to nature lovers,” explains Amin Alarrayed, CEO of Edamah. “Our aim is to showcase this natural beauty while focusing on sustainability to preserve it for future generations.”

Dogpatch Power Station

SAN FRANCISCO

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner / Developer: Associate Capital Architecture: Foster + Partners, Herzog & de Meuron www.dogpatchpowerstation.com

Foster + Partners has revealed plans to transform a former industrial site in San Francisco into a mixed-use waterfront neighbourhood comprising hotels, residences, retail outlets, F&B and up to seven acres of green space.

Slated for completion in 2035, with the first buildings expected to open by 2026, Dogpatch Power Station is flanked by the waterfront to one side and the Dogpatch neighbourhood to the other. The masterplan aims to stitch the site to the locale, reconnecting people with the waterfront and re-energising the area with homes, parks and jobs. As such, the practice has designed two residential-led, mixed-use buildings at the heart of the development, which seek to recreate an inclusive live/work community that features affordable housing.

“This project offers a unique opportunity to reinvigorate an erstwhile industrial quarter and infuse new life into this part of San Francisco,” says Armstrong Yakubu, Senior Partner at Foster + Partners. “Our proposals will deliver muchneeded homes guided by a design approach that is underpinned by people, sustainability and community, and rooted in the rich history of the place. Our aim is to give Dogpatch an urban framework to help create a vibrant, healthy and inclusive 21st century live/work community.”

Inspired by the traditional courtyards and alleyways of the area, the buildings are arranged around a central space at ground level, which will be lined with retail and amenities such as daycare centres and parcel delivery areas. Pedestrian and cycle routes meander through the structures, while lower floors will house several social spaces and co-working areas.

The design is based on a series of interconnected two-storey elements within a modular organisational grid that allows for complete flexibility – both spatially and programmatically – while coming together as a dynamic assembly of stepped blocks.

Six Senses Antognolla

UMBRIA

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner: Carabba & Partners, VIY Management Developer: VIY Management Operator: Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas Architecture: Woods Bagot Interior Design: Design Studio Spin Main Contractor: Sacaim www.woodsbagot.com

Set within a 540-hectare estate featuring a 10th century Benedictine monastery and 12th century castle once home to one of Perugia’s most powerful noble families, Six Senses Antognolla will bring 71 guestrooms and 79 branded residences to Umbria in early 2023.

Boasting architecture by Woods Bagot and interiors by Design Studio Spin, the luxury resort will also be home to a wellness and cultural offering, a cookery school and organic farm, an equestrian centre and an 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.

The reincarnation of the site will see the historic castle and traditional borgo buildings house the guestrooms and suites, while the existing main building will be remodelled as a destination spa and conference facility.

According to Woods Bagot, the masterplan has been created to align with key trends in the resort tourism sector and regional market conditions. The concept caters to the growing demand for activity-based experiential travel and capitalises on the growth in the wellness market, while taking advantage of the estate’s unique natural resources and overcoming the seasonality of similar resorts in central Italy.

The design also required a comprehensive understanding of the site’s topography, as well as the use of local materiality in combination with more contemporary elements, and the reinterpretation of architectural traditions. As such, the preservation of the estate’s original architecture is key to the development, while the new buildings will sensitively reflect the history, style and beauty of the location.

“Umbria really speaks to me. After many years of studying and living in the country, my connection to Italian people and culture is strong,” says Neil Jacobs, CEO of Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas. “Six Senses Antognolla will touch the hearts of its residents and hosts through honesty and respect for the land.”

One & Only Aesthesis

ATHENS

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner: Grivalia Hospitality Operator: Kerzner International www.oneandonlyresorts.com

Kerzner International has signed a management agreement with Grivalia Hospitality for One & Only Aesthesis, a 21-hectare beachfront estate opening in Athens in 2022.

Drawing inspiration from its surroundings, the 127-key resort will celebrate the Athenian Riviera while showcasing elements dominant in Greek mythology, such as fire and water carved from a palette of natural stone and timber. The architecture will also pay homage to MidCentury design by way of high ceilings, woven leather, muted tones and accent patterns. Like all One & Only resorts, the hotel will focus on exclusivity, with most of its accommodations being secluded villas with private pools.

The F&B programme meanwhile comprises a beach club anchoring 1,600 metres of seafront as well as two signature restaurants that take guests on a culinary journey of Greece via mezes, seafood, meats and vegan delicacies, all of which are sustainably and locally sourced.

Following a partnership with health and wellness brand Chenot, the development will also be home to Chenot Spa, offering tailored programmes and treatments scientifically designed to enhance guests’ vitality and optimise health. A gym with indoor and outdoor spaces rounds out the wellness offering.

“We are excited to be adding Athens to our European footprint,” says Philippe Zuber, CEO of Kerzner International. “This exclusive beachfront location is the perfect destination for guests to begin or end their Greek adventure.”

George Chryssikos, founder and Chairman of Grivalia Hospitality, adds: “Upon completion, One & Only Aesthesis will be on one of the most cosmopolitan sites in Athens.”

The property will continue the growth of One & Only’s European portfolio, following a recent opening in Montenegro and the forthcoming arrival of One & Only Kea Island in Greece later this year.

Dunas

KUWAIT

Jasper Architects has won an international design competition to build Dunas, an immersive oasis hotel located in the desert of Kuwait. Estimated for completion in 2024, the project will offer a unique opportunity for hotel guests to observe the desert from within.

Inspired by elements of the natural sandy landscape, as well as the textures, shapes, colours and soft curvilinear geometries of the surrounding dunes, the 19,866m2 circular structure will feature a roof that folds down in a radial array, following the undulations of the desert dunes. Each curve will delineate the boundaries between the private suites, whilst the touchpoints will offer roof access via moulded stairs. Further blurring the boundaries between the resort and surrounding landscape, perforations of varying sizes in the roof will allow for direct visual access to the desert sky.

Ranging between 554-600m2, each suite will include a spa salon and private swimming pool. In addition to common living spaces, guests will also gain access to a relaxed environment at the centre of the hotel where collective gathering may occur.

© Jasper Architects

Siro Boka Place

MONTENEGRO

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner / Developer: Adriatic Marinas Operator: Kerzner International Architecture: Holder Mathias Architects Interior Design: Atellior www.sirohotels.com

Kerzner International has launched a new fitness and wellbeing brand, Siro, with the first property in Porto Montenegro slated for completion by the end of 2023. Conceived by interior design firm Atellior, Siro Boka Place will feature 96 guestrooms with fitness at the heart of the concept, a rooftop pool and bar, and 144 managed residences. Further facilities will include a large gym, yoga studios, a fitness and recovery spa, and a cinema.

“It is always very exciting to create the first property for a new hospitality brand, especially when it is based in such a beautiful destination as Porto Montenegro,” says Una Barac, Executive Director of Atellior. “Siro is about blurring the boundaries between hospitality, fitness and wellness. With health and fitness at its core, the hotel’s interiors and facilities aim to encourage more people to achieve an invigorated lifestyle while providing a fresh perspective on modernday luxury.”

The guestrooms will be quiet sanctuaries with in-built features to ensure a good night’s sleep, in-room gym equipment and plenty of space to work-out or meditate. Alternatively, the managed residences will range from studio apartments to three-bedroom duplexes and penthouses designed with an elegant, paredback aesthetic.

By contrast, the hotel’s public spaces will emphasise the social aspect of wellbeing. Sculptural bleacher seating in the lobby’s amphitheatre zone will offer an informal and open-plan space where leather cushions add comfort to the typical stadium experience, whilst power points hidden within integrated tables create potential work hubs.

Elsewhere, the ground floor restaurant will serve a range of healthy options for lunch and dinner. Overlooking the UNESCO Bay of Kotor and Porto Montenegro, the pool will feature a bar that plays host to live DJs.

bdbarcelona.com Gardenias collection by Jaime Hayon contract@bdbarcelona.com

Botanic Sanctuary

ANTWERP

Occupying the former convent site of Elzenveld in Antwerp, Botanic Sanctuary will open later this year with 108 guestrooms and suites as well as four fine-dining restaurants, a botanical bar and garden, and a spa reflecting a cloistral devotion to healing plants and herbs.

The sensitive restoration of the 15th century monastery has stripped away the fripperies of times past to reveal ancient stonework and structures, with each guestroom championing the historic significance of the complex while channelling a Wabi-sabi approach to design.

Bringing their Michelin-starred expertise to the city are Belgian chef Gert de Mangeleer and sommelier Joachim Boudens – who will recreate the West Flemish garden experience in an intimate setting with its own glasshouse, beehives and herb garden – as well as Dutch chefs Jacob Jan Boerma and Thomas Diepersloot, who will introduce their shared passion for seasonal and regional products at Fine Fleur.

Taking charge of the main restaurant is Wouter van Tichelen, who will serve classic Belgian cuisine with a modern twist in the conservatory of the Monastery Garden, home to a wine cellar housing three compartments.

The hotel’s 1,000m2 spa meanwhile draws inspiration from monastic heritage and will focus on naturopathy, phytotherapy, traditional European medicine, and ancient methods of healing and prevention. Spanning three floors, the space comprises an 18m swimming pool, sauna and Jacuzzi, alongside a lounge, vitamin and herbal bars, and a bistro. A fitness club rounds out the wellness offer, hosting yoga, meditation and mindfulness classes that energise the body and mind in equal measure.

The property also features 18 conference rooms, a 421m2 exhibition hall and 2,450m2 of banqueting and events spaces, while an onsite chapel from the Middle Ages serves as a backdrop for weddings and private gatherings.

One Beverly Hills

CALIFORNIA

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT Owner: Alagem Capital Group, Cain International Developer: Aecom Architecture: Gensler, Foster + Partners Landscaping: Rios www.onebeverlyhills.com

Alagem Capital Group has partnered with Cain International to unveil One Beverly Hills, a mixed-use resort in California designed by Executive Architects Gensler, British firm Foster + Partners and landscape architects Rios.

Slated to open in 2026, the 17.5-acre site represents the unification of several properties adjacent to the Beverly Hilton and Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, with three more sustainable buildings set to be added including two residential towers and a 42-suite luxury hotel, a fine-dining restaurant and 37 shared ownership condominiums, all of which will be set around eight acres of botanical gardens.

The Beverly Hilton will also see extensive upgrades to integrate the gardens into the guest experience, with a new arrival drive and lobby area, a restyled ballroom and pool, and 36 new poolside cabana rooms. Elsewhere, a 38,000ft2 conference centre will be equipped with advanced tech and outdoor breakout areas.

At the heart of the development, the Botanical Gardens will feature an elevated platform overlooking more than 40 tree and 250 plant species from 13 different regions of California. The eight-acre haven – predominantly planted with water-smart landscaping and irrigated through an extensive greywater system – will also encompass curated sculptures, water features, shaded seating areas and two miles of pathways, while a community-based conservancy – made up of One Beverly Hills residents, school and community leaders, and representatives of the hotels – will oversee educational programming and operations.

“In its beginnings, Beverly Hills was agricultural flat land – a green oasis that fed a growing urbanity,” says Norman Foster, founder and Executive Chairman of Foster + Partners. “A century later, we have seized on this as inspiration to create organic architecture that merges with the surrounding landscape.”