The Red Sea Project of which 'Coral Bloom' makes part, has released photographs of a Foster + Partners-designed resort that will blend in with the natural environment on a Saudi Arabian island in the Red Sea.  When The Red Sea Project completes it will contain fifty resorts with a total of 8,000 hotel rooms and 1,300 residential properties.

Coral Bloom will consist of eleven hotels on the dolphin-shaped island of Shurayrah, which is part of The Red Sea Project, a network of 90 undeveloped islands off Saudi Arabia's west coast. The resort was planned to be a hub for more significant development and one of the first sites that tourists visiting the area will notice. The forms of natural Saudi Arabian flowers and coral inspired it.

The island’s natural landscape will be used to dramatic effect with all hotels and villas nestled within the landscape. The absence of high-rise buildings will ensure the spectacular vistas remain uninhibited, while creating a sense of mystery for guests as the island slowly reveals itself.

The resorts themselves will be created using lightweight materials with a low thermal mass and manufactured offsite, meaning more energy efficient construction and less impact on the environment. The entire destination will be powered by renewables, underpinned by the largest battery storage system in the world.

Read the full story at Thursd