TOP 10 hotels and resorts of 2013

TOP 10 hotels and resorts of 2013

over the past twelve months a number of hotels and resorts have been established across the globe, occupying a variety of urban and rural landscapes. the resorts form places of escape, often in remote or picturesque settings, offering a break from an ever more hectic world. although similar in function, the ten selected schemes are incredibly diverse in form, with intimate and expansive volumes utilized to great effect alongside a range of different materials and production techniques, providing guests with a tranquil and calming temporary residence.

tierra patagonia hotel by cazú zegers arquitectura

photo © pia vergara
image courtesy of cazú zegers arquitectura

as much of the landscape in this region of chile has been shaped by the wind, cazú zegers arquitectura constructed the hotel to seem as just another dune, formed by nature, which would also be reminiscent of a fossil found washed up on the shore.

vacation homes in leis by peter zumthor

image © ralph feiner
image courtesy of zumthor ferienhäuser

the family of homes are a composition of exquisite wood volumes, complete with recessed and generous apertures that immediately mark the landscape. the wide-grained cladding follows a language of precise, hand-crafted finger joints. crisp vertices are articulated by the movement of light over the timber surface as well as the material palette of the changing seasons.

the manta resort by genberg underwater hotels

image © jesper anhede
image courtesy the manta resort

situated off the eastern coast of africa by pemba island, a private floating island at the manta resort provides guests with an all-inclusive hotel room submerged four meters below the surface of the ocean. designed by swedish company genberg underwater hotels, each of the three levels that make up the buoyant building has its own unique view.

parkroyal hotel by WOHA

photo © patrick bingham-hall

designed as a hotel and office in a garden, the project at upper pickering street is a study of how architecture can not only conserve our greenery in a built-up high-rise city center, but multiply it in a manner that is architecturally striking, integrated and sustainable.

ngorongoro crater lodge by andbeyond

photo © andbeyond

perched at the crater of the world heritage protected ngorongoro crater in the unspoiled greenery of tanzania, the cluster of lodges puts vernacular tectonics in dialogue with the exuberant and opulent. the result is a luxurious palette of typically african mud plaster walls, elegantly layered banana leaf ceilings and cooling makhuti palm roofs.

urban villas on lake lucerne by lischer partner architekten

photo © roger frei
image courtesy of lischer partner architekten

the constraints of the lakeside site are positively exploited, with the overall mass functioning almost periscopically. the homes are built with sleek yellow jurassic limestone masonry, interrupted only by glazed, recessed apertures.

sheraton huzhou hot spring resort by MAD architects

image courtesy of MAD architects

designed by beijing-based architect ma yansong of MAD architects, the scheme features an unforgettable form of layered floors creating a ring emerging from the south bank of taihu lake.

thermal bath + spa at hurlimann brewery in zurich

image © bluewatercom

original underground wooden vats have been restored and converted into baths of varying temperatures under the building’s original stone arches. vaulted chambers have been converted into auxiliary pools, steam rooms, and lounges, while new concrete forms project into the sky containing a rooftop spring overlooking the city.

art villa complex by kengo kuma

image courtesy of kengo kuma and associates

the formal gesture of the buildings lie in the rock-topped curved roofs, whose underbellies display a characteristic lattice of impeccably joined wood. the villas, available for rent or ownership, focus on the flexibility and strength of geographic forms and convey an architecture informed by natural phenomena.

fogo island inn by saunders architecture

image © iwan baan
image courtesy of saunders architecture

traditional craftsmanship has been renewed throughout the construction and detailing of the project. wood burning stoves in the private bedrooms recall a social vernacular within a a contemporary setting, offering visitors a more authentic experience to the island’s cultural history, with all the comforts and luxuries of modern design.