Water Discus Hotel…that’s what we call “innovation”

Man…you ought to swear by Dubai when it comes to innovation! Speaking more precisely, innovation in construction and real estate.

This time it is by the Deep Ocean Technology…named Water Discus Hotel. This means the hotel would allow its guests to sleep underwater. Amazing? Weird? ….Unique for sure!

What is it actually? This is an upcoming hotel in Dubai which will comprise two discs – an underwater and above-water one. This combination will allow guests to admire the depths of the ocean while making the most of the warm climate.

Credit goes to a Polish team of scientists and engineers, which has unveiled plans for an underwater luxury hotel in Dubai. The ‘Water Discus Hotel’ will be comprised of an above-ground ‘disc’ as well as an underwater ‘disc.’ The above-ground disc will feature an exotic garden, restaurant, spa, swimming pool, and helipad while the underwater disc will house 21 guest rooms, a diving center, and a bar.

The two parts of the structure are connected by three solid legs and a vertical shaft containing a lift and stairway. The size of each disc has been adjusted to local conditions.

 

At a glimpse…

The underwater disc, which will be 10 meters (~33 feet) below the water level, promises guests a unique experience; perhaps the most luxurious amenity will be the panoramic views of a coral reef, giving guests the opportunity to come as close as possible to reef and the surrounding sea creatures without getting wet. Special lighting in the rooms and remote controlled underwater vehicles that guests can control from their rooms will allow guests to take a closer look at even the most microscopic underwater creatures using macro photography.

For those wanting to get a little bit closer to the marine life (and wet), guests will be able to dive the reef or explore the area with ‘underwater tourist vehicles’- the hotel will even offer training courses for those interested in diving.

 

A more into it…

The Water Discus complex was designed to ensure safety at all times, even in the most adverse weather conditions. The structure sits up on three sturdy legs fixed to the seabed, and the upper disc is suspended above the water surface. These two technical solutions will ensure that Water Discus remains safe even in the event of a fairly high tsunami, which can normally flood the nearest coastal areas.

The complex is surrounded by a beautifully vibrant coral reef. This unique location will allow visitors to enjoy the tropical weather and the colourful underwater world. The disc, located up to 10 metres beneath the surface of the sea, is composed of 21 hotel rooms adjacent to the underwater dive centre and a bar. Each room is integrated with the underwater world as closely as possible, offering a surprisingly direct, yet safe contact with the local flora and fauna.

The disc and its adjacent satellites located 5 – 7 metres above the water surface comprise a restaurant, a spa and a special recreation area. A multifunctional lobby built inside an enormous swimming pool shows the centre of the disc. The area around the underwater part of the complex and diving activities may be watched as they happen on the screens hanging on the lobby walls. This part of the complex is connected to the satellites with glass-walled tunnels cutting through a training pool for divers.

Dubai and its innovative constructions…

Dubai, has never failed to surprise. From its modest beginnings as a sleepy fishing hamlet just a few decades back, the ‘city of gold’ has taken giant strides, establishing itself as a major financial, trading and tourist centre. And yes, a destination to witness some of the world’s stunning architectural achievements.

It seems the construction boom in bustling Dubai is far from over – already home to several world record-holding projects, including the tallest building (for just a little while longer), the largest shopping mall and biggest man-made island, plans are now afoot to construct what will likely be the world's largest underwater luxury hotel, the Water Discus. Several years ago, we reported on another such ambitious project, Hydropolis, which sadly never got past the blueprint stage. If Polish company Deep Ocean Technology's (DOT) plans come to fruition, however, guests could one day find themselves asleep beneath the waters of the Persian Gulf.

To bring this fantasy complex into being, DOT, with the help of Swiss firm BIG InvestConsult AG, turned to local shipyard Drydocks World, which will be tasked with constructing the futuristic disc-shaped hotel. Plans also call for a diving center complete with decompression chamber and air locks, a spa, a spacious garden, open terraces above the waterline, and even a helipad atop one of the surface discs for guests who wish to arrive by air.

To address the unpredictability that often comes with projects involving the sea, the entire structure can be moved should environmental (or economic) conditions change. For added safety, surface discs will be buoyant and detachable from the main structure to act as lifeboats should disaster strike. A large central shaft connects the submerged and surface discs and contains both an elevator and stairs for easy access between levels. Three adjustable columns add further support to the above-surface portion of the structure, the various discs of which are themselves interchangeable.

While the idea of staying underwater is far from new, technology has greatly improved to meet the formidable challenges of sub-marine construction, so the likelihood of this and similar projects actually getting built is sure to increase. Famed explorer Jacques Cousteau once envisioned numerous manned underwater colonies to facilitate exploration and though that didn't come to pass, for fans of underwater living, projects like the Water Discus may prove to be the next best thing.