China has long been known for many skyscrapers. Now, this most populous country will now be known by the most luxurious groundscrapers – enormous structures built mostly underground. Named Intercontinental Shimao Shanghai Wonderland, a 19-story, 380-room luxury hotel and theme park, is developed by Shanghai Shimao Property Group and will be managed by InterContinental Hotels Group. Only 3 stories are above the ground, and the rest is being built into an abandoned quarry in Songjiang, China.
Intercontinental Shimao Shanghai Wonderland
The underground part of the Intercontinental Shimao Shanghai Wonderland, will include restaurants, luxury hotel rooms, spa services, an underwater restaurant, an athletic complex for water sports and a 32-feet deep aquarium. Above ground, guests will be able to use the quarry’s cliffs for extreme sports like bungee jumping and rock climbing. The highlight of this hotel groundscraper definitely will be a gigantic 60-meter tall glass curtain wall that is intended to mimic a waterfall next to the resort’s main structure.
The full construction cost for Intercontinental Shimao Shanghai Wonderland is expected at $555 Million and due to open in 2014 with rooms starting at $320 per night.
Designed by UK-based engineering firm Atkins, the company behind the ostentatious Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai, the quarry hotel design bagged a Gold Medal at last year’s commercial real estate MIPIM Asia Awards.
Intercontinental Shimao Shanghai Wonderland
