I’d Like To Be, Under The Sea, In A Shanghai Hotel
I wonder who the first person was to say “I’m gonna build a place for people to sleep where they normally wouldn’t.” So far, we’ve had hotels in ice sculptures, in forests, and in the sides of mountains. Any other ideas? Well, how about underground?
InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland (colloquially known as the “Deep Pit Hotel”) has just finished its construction in southwestern Shanghai. Get this: it’s the world’s very first underground hotel. Or, well, it’s below sea level, anyway. The hotel was built in the remains of a gigantic, 88-meter-deep quarry, and features 18 floors. Only the top floor is at ground level, then 16 of them go straight down, with the very bottom floor being underwater (and featuring a nice aquarium).
The chief engineer of the project called the process “a fight against gravity” as he worked alongside over 5000 workers, designers, engineers, and architects. Possibly the most impressive aspect of the Deep Pit is its power system. Thanks to its location, the entire building is powered via solar and geothermal energy, and there’s more than enough of it there to juice up heating, lighting, and whatever else you could need.
The hotel will officially open its doors in October. There’s restaurants and a leisure complex, so check it out if you’re an exotic locale buff.
