Perched over 2,000 metres above sea level on the curving rim of a great canyon in Jabal Akhdar, Anantara Jabal Akhdar Resort was designed by Atelier Pod, chosen to create the architecture and interior design of the resort, after being shortlisted amongst ten internationally recognised design companies.
The long inaccessible Jabal Akhdar, Arabic for “The Green Mountain”, is a towering massif on the Sultanate of Oman’s vast Saiq Plateau. The luxury resort is located on a 66,000 m² cliff edge plot, with a total built-up area of 24,000m² including 115 rooms, six restaurants and lounges, a signature spa and recreation facilities.
The resort reflects the fortification typology of the Nizwa region’s stronghold, ensconcing guests in modern ramparts inspired by the commanding mountain citadels and re-imagined with sophisticated modern interiors.
In the lobby, a wooden geodesic dome spanning over ten metres in diameter with a peaceful contemporary fountain centred beneath it opens out to the central courtyard decorated by revisited Omani arcades, overlooking the garden terraces and beyond to the dramatic gorge.
With a large open fireplace serving as a central focal point, the courtyard is unmistakably the heart of the resort, bringing together a souk, a coffee shop, a library, as well as pathways leading to the main restaurant and banquet and linking the pool, rooms, and villas.
A freestanding tower on the western side of the courtyard is a testament to the ancient Omani Keep, or Burj. Distinctive by its conical curvature and smooth encircling ramp, it houses a lounge and a specialty restaurant while also serving as an observation tower for a night under a blanket of stars.
A total of 115 luxury guest rooms and villas overlook either the dramatic canyon or tranquil gardens. The resort’s 82 Deluxe Rooms boast a spacious bedroom, amongst the largest in the country, and a spa-like bathroom complete with a rain shower and separate bath alongside a balcony. Meanwhile, the 33 One- or Two-Bedroom Villas grant guests an intimate escape, each with a private infinity pool overlooking the cliff or hiding in an exotic garden.
Other unique design elements include the spa, where a mysterious rough stone cube shields the sensual hammam. The Omani tradition of integrating the ancient water channel system, called “falaj”, with cleansing spaces was adopted to offer intimacy to secluded areas around the spa. These areas harbour jacuzzis, daybeds, and hammocks.
Apart from the architecture, interior design and artworks, Atelier Pod executed the resort’s lighting design in collaboration with LDC Madrid, and landscape design with HED London.
This majestic resort is the fourth collaboration between Atelier Pod and Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spa.
Μελέτη:
Lotfi Sidirahal, Atelier Pod
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