Marsa Alam, Egypt · Resort hotel · 2019 · Alchemy Design Studio

Costa Mares

White room wings along long pools, a lobby under a vaulted glass roof, and rooms in timber, terracotta and pattern.

Location: Marsa Alam, Egypt
Year: 2019
Sector: Hospitality
Scope: Concept design — architecture, main building interiors and room types

The project

The concept started from the place: the vivid blue of the Red Sea, warm desert tones, and the layered patterns of African, Persian and European building. The resort is organised around long pools, with the room wings stepping along the water so that most rooms open onto a terrace over it, and gardens and palm-shaded walks threading between them.

The main building gathers the public life of the hotel. The lobby sits under a vaulted glass roof between colonnades, the all-day dining restaurant opens onto its terrace through screens and arches, and the bar is lined in deep green tile. The same palette carries into the rooms — pale timber, terracotta accents, woven textures and patterned rugs — across superior rooms, family rooms of 46 m², suites of 64 m² and villas of 100 m² with their own plunge pools.

Costa Mares — A screened canopy defines the drop-off while retaining an open edge to the gardens. — A screened canopy defines the drop-off while retaining an open edge to the gardens.

The taller entrance volume gives the low-rise resort a recognisable point of arrival.

Costa Mares — The central entrance axis continues across the terrace to the pool. — The central entrance axis continues across the terrace to the pool.

Costa Mares — Broad steps let the main building meet the pool landscape without a narrow bottleneck. — Broad steps let the main building meet the pool landscape without a narrow bottleneck.

Seating platforms occupy the water's edge, extending the terrace into the pool composition.

Costa Mares — Repeated balcony bays give individual rooms an outdoor address along the shared pool. — Repeated balcony bays give individual rooms an outdoor address along the shared pool.

Costa Mares — Stepped terraces break the accommodation into smaller groups along the water. — Stepped terraces break the accommodation into smaller groups along the water.

Colour enters through loose furnishings, leaving the building's pale surfaces as a consistent backdrop.

Costa Mares — Garden paths offer a second route beside the pool, connecting rooms through planting. — Garden paths offer a second route beside the pool, connecting rooms through planting.

Costa Mares — A sequence of pools and crossings organises movement through the long resort plan. — A sequence of pools and crossings organises movement through the long resort plan.

The vaulted glass roof turns the lobby's central route into a daylit interior promenade.

Costa Mares — Columns separate places to sit from the principal route through the lobby. — Columns separate places to sit from the principal route through the lobby.

Costa Mares — Reception occupies the side of the hall, keeping the central arrival axis open. — Reception occupies the side of the hall, keeping the central arrival axis open.

“Most rooms open onto a terrace over the water.”

A deep green bar recess introduces a distinct colour and scale within the dining spaces.

Costa Mares — Open screens define dining areas while preserving views between tables and windows. — Open screens define dining areas while preserving views between tables and windows.

Costa Mares — The restaurant's long glazed edge brings the garden into the dining sequence. — The restaurant's long glazed edge brings the garden into the dining sequence.

A continuous timber headboard connects sleeping and sitting areas within the guest room.

Costa Mares — The bedroom opens directly towards planting, giving the terrace a role in the room's daily use. — The bedroom opens directly towards planting, giving the terrace a role in the room's daily use.

Costa Mares — The suite separates a place to sit from the bedroom while carrying the same pale timber throughout. — The suite separates a place to sit from the bedroom while carrying the same pale timber throughout.

A freestanding partition gives the villa bedroom a more gradual approach from the entrance.

Terracotta colour distinguishes the villa lounge within the otherwise restrained material palette.

Process

Main building

Reception, lobby, all-day dining, bar and lounge, boutique and business centre on the ground floor; the speciality restaurant and offices above.

Main building ground floor — arrival and shared facilities connect the approach road with the pool terraces.
Main building first floor — the upper programme occupies a smaller footprint above the public rooms.

Room types

Rooms from 46 m² family rooms to 64 m² suites and 100 m² villas with plunge pools, each with its own terrace.

Family room — 46 m² of interior space extends to an 8 m² terrace.
Suite — 64 m² allows separate living and sleeping areas, complemented by a 16 m² terrace.
Villa — 100 m² of accommodation opens to a 30 m² terrace and a private plunge pool.

Colophon

Location: Marsa Alam, Egypt
Year: 2019
Sector: Hospitality
Typology: Resort hotel
Scope: Concept design — architecture, main building interiors and room types
Room types: Superior rooms, family rooms, suites and villas with plunge pools