The proposed 19-story, 5-star waterfall quarry hotel near Tianmashan Mountain in Songjiang district, Shanghai, is apparently happening, maybe. First proposed six and a half years ago, when the firm Atkins won the rights to design something called the InterContinental Shimao Wonderland, the project caused major buzz in international media — though it’s been little more than buzz. But construction has finally begun, apparently, at least according to Web Urbanist, which states, “though its initial estimated opening date of May 2009 has long past, photos show progress at the quarry.”
As of this moment, that link is broken. The project that always seemed a bit too good to be true perhaps remains simply untrue.
If, however, this 380-room hotel from the future is ever to be finished, here’s what it should look like:
Dream big, Atkins. Don’t let practicality get in the way, and remember — you have competition in Changsha and Chengdu.
Subterranean Quarry Hotel to Extend 328 Feet Underground (Web Urbanist, H/T Alicia)
that’s quite the sinkhole.
I have been in Shanghai since 2001 and I am pretty certain that I first heard of this being built back then.
I think it looks fantastic and I can’t wait til they finish it.
It looks like something out of those 60′s puppet shows – Captain Scarlett and Thunderbirds.
Architecturally beautiful but I feel Shanghai has too many luxury hotels to begin with.
Is that the right hole in the bottom picture? The canal seems to be running on the wrong side?
Anyway, I thought it was this hole: http://www.kalanstar.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/cropped-cropped-DSC_0222.jpg
that is part of the Shanghai Botanical Gardens now.
Also Tianmashan mountain is in Hunan, not Shanghai… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianmen_Mountain
The hole in Songjiang district of Shanghai ios located next to the Chenshan mountain (which isn’t really a mountain at all.
http://www.shanghaistuff.com/group/pioneer/forum/topics/shang-hai-chen-shan-zhi-wu