Intercontinental Sanya Resort by WOHA.

The architect firm WOHA designed a project that stands out for its energy efficiency and green solutions. A monumental, award-winning tourist resort on the island of Hainan in China.



This huge tourist complex, designed by WOHA architects, with headquarters in Singapore, consists of a ten-story hotel, twentyfour independent villas and 200 two-storey suites built around large aquatic courtyards and small gardens on over 120,000 square metres of land. The optical effect created by the pools of water and roof gardens is that of rice-paddy fields which are abundant in the area.





The design not only improves the energy efficiency of the structure because the greenery on the roof gardens insulates from heat and filters rainwater but also provides the villas with their own micro climate. In fact, each villa has its own open-air garden bathroom.



Here, everything is played on the passage between internal and external areas favoured by the mild climate of the island and even the meeting rooms have a private garden.



The position of the buildings facilitates natural ventilation towards the interiors and light in the rooms while overhanging roofs create shady areas - all to the benefit of the resort’s carbon footprint.





The pattern on the façade of the hotel appears to refer to antique Chinese patterns but is actually an aperiodic mathematical design and consequently, ultra modern. As Richard Hassell, one of the two co-founders, explains, “We aimed to create a place that a foreigner would think had a Chinese feeling to it, but a Chinese would think had a contemporary feeling”.

Project: WOHA
Year: 2011/2012
Location: Hainan, China
Gallery: Patrick Bingham-Hall
Link: Alila Villas Uluwatu http://www.floornature.com/blog/alila-villas-uluwatu-bali-indonesia--andnbspenvironmental-and-social-sustainability-7452/, Stadium MRT Stadion http://www.floornature.com/blog/stadium-mrt-station-singapore-by-woha-7898/, Tan Quee Lan Suites, Singapore http://www.floornature.com/blog/tan-quee-lan-suites-singapore-woha-8173/
Awards: Architectural Record's Good Design ist Good Business China Award 2012, 2012 Green Good Design Award, 2011 Best of Year Award and Gold Key Award fpr Excellence in Hospitality Design