While the pursuit of sustainability is often accompanied by humourless earnestness , WOHA shows that it prefers to stand apart . This Oasia Hotel , which is part of an eponymous chain , combines sustainability with delight , two terms that are prominently present in the office ’ s design philosophy .
Aside from the red façade – soon to be completely green – the sky gardens also offer greenery , fresh air , and opportunities for natural cross-ventilation , as well as representing the most visibly sustainable and delightful , aspects of the building .
The sky gardens came about in response to the client ’ s brief , which asked for distinct parts in the hotel . Given the small footprint , WOHA adopted what they call ‘ a club sandwich approach by creating a series of different strata , each with its own sky garden .’ Introducing these sky gardens , which WOHA describes as ‘ elevated ground levels ’, allowed ‘ the precious but limited ground floor space to be multiplied , creating generous public areas for recreation and social interaction throughout the high-rise .’
While WOHA can be credited for the architecture of the tower itself and the concept of stacking layers , the actual design of the sky gardens is the work of Spanish designer and architect Patricia Urquiola , who was responsible for all interiors as well as the outdoor spaces of the hotel . Urquiola adds a breezy elegance to WOHA ’ s delightfully quirky architecture .
For the pools on the 21st and 27th floor , she has used AGROB BUCHTAL tiles from the Chroma series . Each pool has a different character . The pool on the sixth floor is part of a gym ; on the 21th floor , the pool acts as a stylish extension of the lounge club .
THE TOWER , WHICH HAS A HEIGHT OF 190 METRES , CONTAINS FOUR LARGE OUTDOOR SPACES : THREE ENORMOUS VERANDAS ON THE 6TH , 12TH , AND 21ST FLOOR , AS WELL AS A ROOF TERRACE ON 27TH FLOOR .
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