Tourism in Portugal began to develop in the late 1950s, initially centered on key destinations such as the Algarve coast, Lisbon, and the religious hub of Fátima. This focus made tourism largely a coastal activity. However, rapid growth and overburdened infrastructure in these areas led to saturation and a crisis in the sector. To address this, efforts were made to promote alternative destinations, appealing to a new wave of tourists looking for more sustainable, authentic, and locally immersive experiences.
With the heightening of ecological and social crises all around the world, architects have had to re-evaluate their role, impact, and design approach. As the "new needs" of people arise, new architectural processes must be explored to answer them. However, this still comes with much resistance from the standing practices and push for financial gain that often makes it difficult to implement more comprehensive solutions. These notions led the CCA (Canadian Center for Architecture) to launch their new 3-part film and exhibit series called " Groundwork", curated by the associate director, Francesco Garutti. Through this project, the CCA selected and followed three renowned contemporary architects/practices as they developed their concepts and field research, which allowed them to engage respectfully with their site and residing communities. It's an up close and personal look into what motivates the selected architects to examine alternative ways of designing and the challenges they go through as the three parallel stories unfold.
The first exhibit opening and movie screening was held in May 2024, followed by an in-conversation event with the program curator and architect, where the question of "What is architecture today" was discussed. The exhibit and its many showcased elements, channels visitors along to the first site exploration with DnA's Xu Tiantian as she ventures "Into the Island" of Meizhou, China, in the summer of 2022.
Tourist facilities such as resorts and hotels are often an engaging case study for architects and architecture enthusiasts, as they strive to combine functional and accessible design with locally-influenced cultural expressions. These structures often require unique solutions to meet the diverse needs of guests, including comfort, aesthetics, and functionality. Their design and construction also impact local economies and environments, providing opportunities for architects to contribute to sustainable tourism and community development.
This week's curated selection of Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights projects submitted by the ArchDaily community that offer tourist accommodation in unique settings, including the beaches of the Caribean, the Caucasus mountain range in Georgia, the urban setting of Oslo, or the wine-making region of Puglia in Italy. Featuring projects from emerging and established architectural offices such as WilkinsonEyre, Oppenheim Architecture, Powerhouse Company, or 3GATTI, the selection showcases architectural designs that reimagine tourist facilities and reflect the diversity of their environmental and cultural contexts.
In collaboration with MassLab, OODA has been awarded first place in the Barrosinha Agricultural Company competition, aimed at creating a 2,000-hectare development seamlessly integrated into the agro-forestry heritage of Alcácer do Sal, Portugal. The master plan, covering a variety of functions for tourism, housing, commerce, and leisure, is designed in harmony with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, striving to transform Herdade da Barrosinha into a model of sustainable renewal.
Venice authorities have launched a pilot program for their long-term discussed plan to introduce fees for day-trippers visiting the city. The program, which has been delayed several times citing logistical issues, was officially launched on January 16th, when the online payment platform became operational. While the scope of the program is expected to expand, for now, it will be applied only on certain days during the most crowded season, between April 25 and July 14.
NEOM has just introduced “Siranna,” a new tourism destination within the new sustainable regional development evolving in Northwest Saudi Arabia. Aiming to blend innovation and refinement, while integrating with the coastal terrain, the design seeks to offer a luxury escape, with a 65-key hotel and 35 residences. Prioritizing minimal intervention in nature, Siranna’s development utilizes specific techniques to preserve the local landscape. The architecture pays tribute to the area’s heritage while blending into the mountains and wadi. The initiative aligns with NEOM’s dedication to creating sustainable spaces in nature.
Tourist facilities are a significant architectural program as they not only provide essential amenities for travelers but also encapsulate the cultural essence of a destination. Resorts and hotels experiment with ideas of comfort and leisure, restaurants bring visitors into the local culinary culture, while wineries merge craftsmanship, tradition, and modernity. Visitor centers are another facility often provided for travelers, serving as gateways to exploring the city. Besides their flexible program, these architectural interventions most often strive to relate and harmonize with the local context to enrich the narrative of the space and create a memorable experience for every visitor.
This week's curated selection of Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights projects submitted by the ArchDaily community that showcase various amenities dedicated to tourists, from wine cellars, specialty restaurants, and visitor centers to isolated camping sites in the mountains or lavish spa hotels in the arid areas of the Middle East. Featuring projects from emerging and established architectural offices such as Melike Altınışık Architects, Lockhart Krause Architects, MUA, and OMBI Innovation Lab the selection includes a wide range of programs and scales, showcasing designs that rethink conventional tourist facilities while establishing a connection with their surroundings and cultural context.
The world is home to thousands and thousands of national parks – spaces allocated for conservation, hosting land usually left in its natural state for people to visit. The term “national park” itself differs in meaning around the world. In the United Kingdom, for example, the phrase simply describes a relatively undeveloped area that attracts tourists. In the United States, this terminology is a lot more rigid, describing 63 protected areas operated by the United States National Park service.
Zovik Chapel and Cemetery. Image Courtesy of Nenad Fabijanić
10 projects, 10 functions. Featuring a multitude of different programs, this week’s curated selection of Best Unbuilt Architecture highlights diverse and innovative conceptual approaches. Submitted by our readers, this variety of proposals includes sports, religious, cultural, educational, and social purposes.
Compiling projects from all over the world, this article puts together a Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Thailand, a ring-shaped experience center and eco-tourism catalyst for Latvia, a cemetery in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the biggest extreme sports park in Russia. Moreover, unconventional office spaces are underlined with an innovation start-up center in Vietnam, headquarters in Shenzhen, and Tirana’s new municipality building.
The Adler Hotel Group have completed construction on a new, minimalist eco-hotel in Italy’sDolomites mountain range. Called Adler Lodge Ritten, the project is located on the Ritten plateau, a short walk from the region’s historic narrow-gauge railway. The retreat was designed to blend into the surrounding forest by taking the form of rural alpine structures.
Vincent Callebaut Architectures has released a design proposal for a new eco-tourism resort in The Philippines inspired by natural coastline forms. Making extensive use of cradle-to-cradle and other sustainable design principles, the resort features a series of spiraling apartment buildings and shell-shaped hotel buildings, themselves positioned on two Fibonacci spirals of land in a coastal lagoon. At the center of the ensemble, a mountain-like complex combines a school, recreational swimming pools, sports halls, the resort's kitchens, and a suite of laboratories for environmental scientists.
The Blue Clay Country Spa architecture competition, in partnership with SRED Global real estate developers, is tasking participants with presenting designs for a countryside guest house that would specialise in providing health treatments using this unique and naturally occurring organic product. Blue clay has long been used in restorative treatments, and provides health and beauty benefits in its naturally occurring form. Blue Clay has an exceptionally high mineral content and been used for centuries for medicinal purposes. The research is still being carried out to this day to further understand the clay’s antibacterial properties.
In early April 2015, the New York Times reported on Leonardo DiCaprio’s recent purchase of Blackadore Caye, a small island off the coast of Belize that has faced significant environmental degradation and erosion. A patron of several environmental projects, DiCaprio is partnering with Paul Scialla, CEO of the Delos real estate and wellness platform, to create an eco-resort intended to serve as the latest model of cutting-edge, environmentally-responsible tourism development. The development plans include a row of floating guest suites built over the water, 48 private villas (ringing in at $5-15 million), human health and anti-aging wellness programs, and a conservation area. The project is advertised as meeting the ambitious green building standards of the Living Building Challenge and the WELL Building Standard®.
Many Times readers in the comments section sardonically noted that the private jets and the shipment of building materials and daily resources for island development come with large environmental and social price tags that far outweigh the conservation efforts associated with the resort. On the other hand, a few commentators pointed out that the development will employ local labor and save the island from complete degradation. The discussion surrounding the pros and cons of “eco-tourism” development is not a new one, and not one that is easily settled.
But beyond the (important) discussion of the impacts of eco-tourism, the development raises questions about the emergence of alternative green building market standards, which ostensibly aim to transform the building industry by setting measurable targets for the environmental and social effects of the places we live and work.
