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Award-winning architect Jean Nouvel has just unveiled the design for a hotel "carved" into a massive ancient rock formation in Saudi Arabia. Inspired by the structures of the ancient city of Petra in Jordan, considered one of the seven wonders of the world, the design showcases the unique beauty of a modern project set against the backdrop of an ancient landscape.
The Sharaan Hotel will be built in Al-'Ula, an archaeological site located approximately 563 km from Petra and 354 km from Medina. “Al-'Ula is like an open-air museum, where you can stroll around, admire the mountains with their distinctive rock formations, and the picturesque landscape. Construction here is a real responsibility and a huge challenge,” according to Jean Nouvel.
“Al-’Ula is not just a desert; it’s truly a museum. Every cliff and sand dune, every geological and archaeological site deserves respect in my design,” Jean Nouvel shared.
"It is important that we preserve all the essence of ancient cultures and maintain their appeal to humanity. Mystery is something we need to protect, although sometimes it also holds the promise of further discovery and understanding in the future," he added.
Indeed, this luxurious underground resort is situated in a setting steeped in ancient ruins, holding many secrets of an ancient culture. Between the 2nd and 4th centuries BC, the cities located between the Sinai Peninsula and the Arabian Peninsula were once the Kingdom of Nabataean. The Nabataean people who lived there developed a culture of sandstone carving.
From a distance, the Sharaan Hotel resembles other sandstone mountains, but at night, the interior is illuminated, creating a striking contrast with the surrounding landscape. The hotel will feature 40 luxury suites, 3 villas, a swimming pool, a restaurant, and many other amenities.
The hotel's main entrance is a large, circular courtyard carved into the side of a sandstone hill. From here, visitors are led to a series of rooms arranged around a central elevator shaft that rises 80 meters.
The hotel's restaurant is built 79 meters above the ground, atop a sandstone cliff, offering guests breathtaking views of the desert landscape.
An open-air courtyard within the hotel was created for guests to gaze at the sky. Inside the rooms, architect Nouvel will create numerous light streams using both natural and artificial sources, such as from unique, modern patterned designs.
The luxurious suites and villas in Sharaan are carved into the cliff face, much like the Nabataean people did in ancient times. Each space features a balcony offering breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding desert.
Each suite will feature distinctive Al-'Ula sandstone walls, intended to create a strong connection to the ancient Nabatean-Arab culture.
“Sharaan poses no threat to ancient values or to humanity. Our project celebrates the Nabatean spirit without stylizing it. This creation is a legitimate and appropriate act of cultural continuation and preservation,” said Jean Nouvel.
The Sharaan resort is part of The Royal Commission's plan for the Al-'Ula desert to encourage global tourism in the region. The future project is expected to celebrate Saudi Arabia's heritage values.
Jean Nouvel called Sharaan "the future of resort hotels," with its abstract and poetic spaces. He said that the unique sandstone rock formations of Al-'Ula are what make the building so special.
“Al-'Ula deserves a modern approach that still retains its ancient values. The vision of the future is never-ending, requiring us to live fully in the present while always remembering the past,” the French architect shared about the project's future direction. He and his colleagues have previously completed numerous service projects in the Middle East, notably the Qatar National Museum and the Louvre Abu Dhabi in the UAE.
The Sharaan Hotel is expected to be completed and open to guests in 2024. The project is part of a 10-year agreement between France and Saudi Arabia, signed in 2018, to develop Al-'Ula into a popular tourist destination.
