Shaori Lake Resort

During the working process, our team shared the same vision, that the building complex must have been in harmony with the surrounding nature. Moreover, we wanted it to have traditional local design elements but concurrently be contemporary, with such an architectural appearance, its uniqueness would compete with any successful hotel complex in Georgia. 

For the main building, we used the same design method as the one used in Racha. Most houses in this region have their ground floor built from solid materials, like stones, while lighter materials, like wood, are used for the upper floors. 

Categories
Architecture, Hospitality

Timeline
2022

Status
Competition

Location
Racha, Georgia

Typology
Hotel

Size
31 725 m²

Team of Architects
Nugo Dvalishvili, Anano Maisuradze, Nino Kviatkovskaia, Nino Avalishvili

We wanted the building to have a similar visual appearance to the local buildings have, therefore the facades of the upper floors are finished with dark-colored wood, while the ground floor stands out with its solidness and dark concrete texture variations. 

As you get close to the building it seems minimal and still, without any excess details, but when getting inside everything seems open and captivating.

Once arriving at the site the first thing that the visitor perceives is the 5-story hotel building that has its main entrance from the north. The entrance is cut into the greenery creating a sense of curiosity and spirituality, thus upon entering the building the sweeping views of Shaori Lake make it all more impressive. In the foyer, an atrium formed by a massive concrete box rises to the upper floors. The area underneath the atrium is presented as an exhibition space that can host art exhibits of local and international artists.

The welcoming spaces such as the lobby, the foyer, the lounge as well as the restaurant, the administration, the meeting rooms, and the entertainment spaces are arranged on the ground floor of the main building. The underground floor is occupied by technical and mechanical spaces, and wellness facilities, including a fitness and spa center, swimming pool, etc. Considering the sharp terrain we decided to place the swimming pool on this floor, which is partly indoor while the outdoor panoramic pool has an open terrace and seating areas that overlook the lake. 

The functional distribution of the territory and the development of interconnections between buildings and roads are crucial for a successful project, therefore we worked hard on the site plan. We prepared the site plan with the vision to make the guest feel comfortable and isolated from the outside world. 

We wanted the main building to be emphasized and make the other buildings somehow hidden, for that reason buildings such as the staff accommodation space, the conference room spaces and the restaurant are half-located under the terrain, creating thus more green lawns that are in reality the roofs of the above-mentioned spaces. 

Such a solution led us in providing the guests with much more privacy while ensuring not to spoil the splendid views of nature. Since we wanted the hotel to be in harmony with the environment, we tried to treat nature warily and arrange the spaces compactly.

The location of some spaces was dictated by the existing environment. Next to the main building are located the parking lot and the staff accommodation building, whereas the conference room area and the restaurant are placed in front of it, near the beach. The western part of the site is dedicated to open-air entertainment spaces, inter alia, stadiums, sports spaces, and an amphitheater.