As the a five-star hotel design competition opened for submission in the Zayed Bay in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Leeser Architecture had resulted as the winner. From the facade, the Helix hotel is made up of staggered floor plates, which whole of the structures are partially floating on the water. The hotel is currently under construction.
Conceptually, the Helix Hotel participates in a critical dialogue between opulence and urbanness, between the variety of services offered by a small city and the demands of a five-star hotel guest. The floor suggests the curves a winding street would take through a bustling town, and many pro- grammatic elements are open to views from across the central void.
Though the void seems to offer unmitigated visibility, there are enclaves for private meetings and guest privacy. It is designed so that one activity feeds into the next rather than affecting sharp separations between each activity. In this way it develops a feeling of being free to whimsically experience all aspects of the hotel without having to decide on an agenda in advance.
On the luxury side of vacation culture, there are playful elements that make the hotel a designer destination in an iconic setting. From the outset, it is as much a showplace for the abundance of opulent life as it is a fully incorporated urban experience.
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