The Coral is the cornerstone of the Albany Masterplan. Located at the southern tip of the public promenade, it has a unique relationship with the harbor entry and with the South West Bay beyond. It is one of the largest buildings in Albany with wraparound balconies offering spectacular, panoramic views from the marina to the ocean, and beyond. Different unit sizes introduce dynamic irregularities in the pattern, similar to the staggered elevation of The Honeycomb and The Cube. The rounded motif of the plan is repeated in elevation and creates a natural opening that exposes a dipping pool for every balcony at the demising wall of the units below. These unique pools have a transparent edge towards the marina and ocean, eliminating the visual barrier between the pool and the surrounding environment and allow bathers to become fully immersed in the view of the marina and the ocean beyond.
Biosphere is accessed via a suspended bridge that slopes from the ground to the top of the trees. The interior of the m hotel room incorporates rich dark interiors and organic materials inspired by the surrounding landscape. The checker solid-open conceptual make-up allows for a range of experiences within a relatively small space. Visitors have access to a roof terrace close to the treetop canopies that offer a -degree views of the forest.
Diverging from the condominium typology is a world-class recording studio, The Sanctuary – located adjacent to the public plaza on the most prominent site in the entire resort. Despite being the lowest lying structure in Albany, it’s location at this significant intersection maintains convenient access to the marina, plaza, golf course, beachside, and other resort amenities. Surrounded by extraordinary views of the marina and its surrounding community, the state-of-the-art recording studio attracts the world’s most famous recording artists to Albany to record their next chart-topping hits.
The entire store unfolds itself on the ground floor and creates a bright new urban living room for brand activations, fashion shows and other special events. A grand staircase, which doubles as an auditorium during events, takes visitors to the mixed-use space on the first floor which features creative and emerging brands, as well as a denim lab, jewelry display, limited edition sneakers and tech products.
With Chongqing’s unique location between the mountains, impressive cloud formations shield the building from direct sun exposure and creates a special atmosphere condition that allows the façade designs to be more transparent than usual. To protect the façades and exterior public spaces from further sun radiation and heavy rain, the building’s rooftops are extended by a significant distance, depending on the façade’s orientation. The roof also drops all the way to the central courtyard in one place, creating access to the roof lush garden, and in other places, the roof lifts in two corners to create entryways from the inside.