The design of the new Morpheus Hotel in Macau, China is embellished with a series of voids carved through the center that give the structure a fluid, almost liquid look reminiscent of the T-1000 terminator’s mimetic polyalloy reforming.
Comprising 770 guest rooms, suites, and sky villas, the Morpheus Hotel provides 147,860 sm of space across 42 stories. Amenities include civic spaces, meeting and events facilities, gaming rooms, a lobby atrium, restaurants, and a spa and rooftop pool.
Photo: Virgile Simon Betrand.
ZHA designed the hotel as a simple extrusion of the existing abandoned foundations. The underlying diagram of the hotel’s design is a pair of towers connected at the ground and roof levels. The central atrium that runs between these towers runs the height of the hotel and is traversed by external voids that connect the north and south facades. Between the voids are a series of bridges that give the building its fluid sense of motion. The bridges provide a unique space for the hotel’s restaurants, bars, and guest lounges.
Photo: Virgile Simon Betrand.
The Morpheus also includes what ZHA describes as the world’s first free-form high-rise exoskeleton. This exoskeleton maximizes the building’s interiors by creating spaces that are uninterrupted by supporting walls or columns. The exoskeleton pattern becomes less dense as it climbs the building’s facade.
See Also: Zaha Hadid’s King Abdullah Financial District Metro Station incorporates futuristic façade
The Building Team included J. Roger Preston (M&E engineering), Buro Happold International (SE), Arup (fire engineering), and Dragages Macau (main contractor).
Photo: Virgile Simon Betrand.
Photo: Ivan Dupont.
Photo: Virgile Simon Betrand.
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
10 tips for mitigating influenza in buildings
Adopting simple, common-sense measures and proper maintenance protocols can help mitigate the spread of influenza in buildings. In addition, there are system upgrades that can be performed to further mitigate risks. Trane Commercial Systems offers 10 tips to consider during the cold and flu season.
| Aug 11, 2010
Skanska, Turner most active in U.S. hotel construction, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 50 Hotel Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
AECOM, Arup, Gensler most active in commercial building design, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 100 Commercial Design Firms based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
New book provides energy efficiency guidance for hotels
Recommendations on achieving 30% energy savings over minimum code requirements are contained in the newly published Advanced Energy Design Guide for Highway Lodging. The energy savings guidance for design of new hotels provides a first step toward achieving a net-zero-energy building.
| Aug 11, 2010
AGC unveils comprehensive plan to revive the construction industry
The Associated General Contractors of America unveiled a new plan today designed to revive the nation’s construction industry. The plan, “Build Now for the Future: A Blueprint for Economic Growth,” is designed to reverse predictions that construction activity will continue to shrink through 2010, crippling broader economic growth.
| Aug 11, 2010
PCL Construction, HITT Contracting among nation's largest commercial building contractors, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 50 Commercial Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Webcor, Hunt Construction lead the way in mixed-use construction, according to BD+C's Giants 300 report
A ranking of the Top 30 Mixed-Use Contractors based on Building Design+Construction's 2009 Giants 300 survey. For more Giants 300 rankings, visit http://www.BDCnetwork.com/Giants
| Aug 11, 2010
Report: Fraud levels fall for construction industry, but companies still losing $6.4 million on average
The global construction, engineering and infrastructure industry saw a significant decline in fraud activity with companies losing an average of $6.4 million over the last three years, according to the latest edition of the Kroll Annual Global Fraud Report, released today at the Association of Corporate Counsel’s 2009 Annual Meeting in Boston. This new figure represents less than half of last year’s amount of $14.2 million.
| Aug 11, 2010
First CityCenter projects earn LEED Gold
CityCenter announced today that it has received three Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED Gold certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council for: 1) ARIA Resort's hotel tower; 2) ARIA Resort's convention center and theater; 3) Vdara Hotel. ARIA and Vdara will open in December on the Las Vegas Strip and are the first of CityCenter's developments to be LEED certified.