WORLD’S TALLEST HOTEL

The design for what will become the world’s tallest hotel has been unveiled by Swiss entrepreneur Remo Stoffel and US-based architect Morphosis.

To be situated in Vals, in the Swiss Alps, the structure is designed to reach a height of 381 metres, which once completed in 2019, will eclipse the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel in Dubai which currently holds the record at 355 metres tall.

According to Stoffel, who is Chairman of Dubai-based Farnek, one of the leading facilities management companies in the Middle East, the inspiration for the hotel came from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid the Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

“Due to my involvement with Farnek, I travel to Dubai on a regular basis and I am always amazed at how quickly the city grows and what it has achieved. It is now home to the busiest airport in the world, tallest tower, tallest hotel, the largest shopping mall, largest man-made island, the list goes on.

“During its early development, many local, regional and international observers, some more vocal than others, were unsure that Sheikh Mohammed’s vision for Dubai would ever be realised. Even if the infrastructure was put in place, how would Dubai attract enough visitors to fill the thousands of new hotel rooms being built? Undeterred, Dubai stuck steadfastly to its strategy and last year it welcomed around 12 million overnight visitors and is now planning to accommodate 20 million visitors by 2020.

“That inspired me to realise my own vision, by forming 7132 Ltd, commissioning this stunning design, which will be built in my home town of Vals within four years,” said Stoffel.

The 107-room luxury hotel has a minimalist design in order to help the structure blend with the mountain landscape. The new hotel is defined by three forms: a podium linking the building with neighboring structures; a cantilever containing a restaurant, café, spa, and bar – public amenities shared with the town; and a tower holding a sky bar, restaurant, and 107 guest rooms with panoramic views.

With the completion of the hotel, the 7132 resort will feature buildings by three Pritzker Prize winning architects, including the internationally renowned Therme Vals spa designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor and the Valser Path by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, which is slated for completion in 2019.

“The transparent and slim “7132 Tower” designed by Thom Mayne of Morphosis will create a completely new world of hospitality in Vals,” Ando says. “I believe it will harmonise with the beautiful landscape.”