A rendering of the Dawang Mountain Resort in Changsha. (Coophimmelb(l)au) From the looks of it, China’s next big architecture trend is building breathtaking, ultra-modern resorts in abandoned quarries. As the InterContinental Shimao Resort is still under construction outside Shanghai, the newest quarry creation being planned is the Dawang Mountain Resort in Hunan province capital Changsha, designed by Austrian architectural firm Coophimmelb(l)au. Commissioned by Changsha Xiandao Land Development & Construction Co., Ltd., the architectural wonder will feature a five-star hotel and a “Deep Pit Ice and Snow World” complete with an indoor ski slope, water park, restaurants, and shopping. The water park will hold a cantilevered outdoor swimming pool with a 60-meter high waterfall extending into the quarry pit. A rendering of the overhead view of the Dawang Mountain Resort in Changsha. (Coophimmelb(l)au) The structure will extend 170 meters from cliff to cliff over a “sunken and hanging garden,” and will include islands, water, cliffside pathways, and ramps. A glass cone in the center will allow natural daylight to filter through the structure. In addition, large glass façades in the Snow and Ice World will offer views of the cliff faces, hanging gardens, water pools, and islands. According to the studio, the 100-meter high hotel will “be the most significant iconic landmark for the entire Dawang Mountain Tourism Resort Center.” The hotel will contain 270 singles and double suites, 60 executive suites, and a six-room presidential suite, as well as conference areas. A rendering of the gardens at the planned Dawang Mountain Resort in Changsha. (Coophimmelb(l)au)
