A Man-Made Island… Home To One Giant Geode?

While physical aestheticism is a rather vital element when it comes to designing a building to permanently insert into a skyline, it is merely one of the ways in which architecture can be beautiful.

A project from NL Architects that is proposed for the man-made island Ocean Flower, Hainan, China is a rather profound embodiment of such notions of beauty. If built, it would be the world’s first Amethyst Crystal Hotel.

As with most things, buildings are reflections of their makers. It is human nature to be drawn to that which is beautiful, and yes, beauty definitely resides in the eye of the beholder, but what is truly beautiful about a person, or in this case, a building, is what lies beneath the surface.

A Massive Meditative Monolith

Amethyst Crystal is known for its meditative and calming powers. It has been said to work in the emotional, spiritual, and physical planes to provide calm, balance, patience, and peace. The hotel, which resembles a geode sliced in half to show off its shiny, crystal interior would not only be exceptionally aesthetically pleasing, it would provide guests the benefits of the meditative and calming powers of the Amethyst Crystal.

Even for those who fail to believe in the purported energetic properties of amethyst, it isn’t difficult to understand the allure of this building. The hotel rooms contained in the inner-crystalline structure will use the sunlight to create a gem-like effect on the interior, bathing guests in a gorgeous and colourful play of beautifully refracted light.

While using nature as the inspiration for design is a trend as old as time, I believe there is genuine depth and splendor in the way this building could manifest itself as a symbol of natural beauty in an increasingly technological era. Could this be the start of a new and wonderful paradigm in nature-inspired-architecture?

About The Author

This is an original post by contributing writer Nathalie Ghawi.