In the UAE’s Sharjah Mountains, a concept resort spans a vast mountain gully with floating tents hanging in the air.
The ultimate in mountain “glamping,” the so-called Floating Retreat is the brainchild of Dubai-based design studio Ardh Architect, who were tasked to investigate a new kind of hospitality that blended environmental awareness and appreciation for nature with modern comfort.
The images, while striking, create a whorl of questions, not least of which involve safety.
The idea that the pods are actual tents creates the confusion. Essentially the ten luxury hotel rooms designed with state-of-the-art fabric walls, sit docked to a large bridge spanning the gully between two mountain peaks.
Visitors check in at a reception desk at the bottom of the mountain before presumably taking an elevator to the bridge level. Once inside, the tent/room can be raised and lowered according to the guests’ desires.
“The Floating Retreat project has several key values at its core,” writes Ardh. “One of the main goals of the project is to re-energize the local community through tourism, by providing a space for people to connect with the natural beauty of the region and to learn about its rich culture and heritage.”
Concept images show people along the deck connected to a series of harnesses to prevent them from falling off the railingless edge.
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