Near the oasis city of al-'Ula in western Saudi Arabia, tourists can experience a camping holiday in a class of its own. Located 15 kilometres from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hegra, the hotel complex houses 47 suites, a luxury spa with an infinity pool and two gourmet restaurants.
| Type of Building | Hotels and restaurants |
| Features | New build Design and Aesthetics Exceptional architecture |
| Location | Ula, Saudi Arabia |
| Completion | 2020 |
| Architects | AW² Architecture Workshop |
| Specialist company | Alumaco KSA |
| Picture credits | © Ales Vyslouzil |
The low, gently curved tents blend into their surroundings just like sand dunes. Architects Reda Amalou and Stéphanie Ledoux from the French architectural practice AW² designed the Al Ashar resort according to the mantra "back to basics", building with local materials using traditional shapes and patterns. When designing the individual accommodations, AW² took inspiration from the simple rectangular shape of a Bedouin tent. With a view to natural energy saving, they adapted the function of the adjustable canvas covers to ensure both good ventilation and sun shading. They have also added all the modern comforts expected of a luxury hotel room that is in such close proximity to the surrounding nature.
The local material of clay was the obvious choice for building climate-friendly buildings in the desert, as it provides insulation but also has a high heat storage capacity. The sustainable material is an excellent form of climate control, quickly absorbing moisture and capable of releasing it again later, keeping cool in summer and storing heat in the winter. Additionally, the colour and texture aesthetics of this local resource blend harmoniously with the surroundings.
Large Panorama Design sliding doors make you feel like you are outside when you are indoors, even when they are closed. Slimline profiles in combination with glass areas of up to a height of 3500 mm offer maximum transparency and light penetration. The high-quality Schüco ASE 70 PD.ME system was developed specially for the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa). The sliding doors have a sufficient glass thickness, between 24 and 40 mm, to seamlessly absorb the temperature differences of the prevailing climate. This ranges from extremely hot summer days to very cold nights in the winter months.
