The Intercontinental Shanghai Wonderland nicknamed the “earthscraper” is a groundbreaking new hotel built in an abandoned quarry, 88 metres below ground. This hotel will be the first of its kind, taking over 10 years to complete, with a team of more than 5,000 architects perfecting the underground design. The hotel’s chief engineer described the project as “a fight against gravity.”
Atkins, renowned British architecture firm, helmed the hotel’s structural aesthetic, while collaborating with international arch studio JADE+QA, by former Atkins employee Martin Jochman.
The Intercontinental Shanghai Wonderland is super environmentally friendly too. It generates its own geothermal and solar energy that created power for heat and lighting with a rooftop covered in a grassy lawn essentially making a park on top of the hotel.
The hotel plans to offer bungee jumping down the side of the hotel as well as rock climbing and other activities that guests can choose from to get the full experience of this new hotel.
16 of its 18 floors are underground with the remaining 2 floors submerged in a 33 foot deep aquarium. This incredible hotel also includes an underwater restaurant, a pool, a watersports center, and a glass enclosed artificial waterfall that plunges the length of the hotel which any guest can enjoy from their balcony.
The Intercontinental Shanghai Wonderland opened in October of this year in Songjiang which is about 22 miles outside of Shanghai in a formally abandoned quarry. This hotel is located close to tourist attractions such as the Chenshan Botanic Gardens and Sheshan National Park.
Though rates for this hotel have not been revealed yet, it’s very unlikely that the prices will be cheap as the hotel is a five star luxury resort with unique amenities. With all the amazing services, the hotel, is bound to attract some bigwigs to the quarry.