December 2024 on Shelter – Shelter highlights include the four part documentary series, Underwater Hotels.
UNDERWATER HOTELS is a four-part documentary series exploring the architecture, design and ethos of unique hotels beneath the surface of the sea. From Australia’s Great Barrier Reef to submerged habitats in Florida, minimalist floating cabins in Zanzibar, and luxury villas in the Maldives: come on an underwater adventure and discover the vision behind these extraordinary structures.
The hotels promote an active connection with the oceans they live in; this is not luxury accommodation with just a pretty view. These spaces are built to engage, encourage and stimulate guests to develop a deep personal connection with the ocean and love for its vibrant ecosystem.
Meet the architects, designers and hotel managers and uncover how these remarkable spaces function and what mysteries they reveal about underwater life. With stunning visuals and immersive storytelling, UNDERWATER HOTELS offers an exclusive glimpse into these surreal, reverse aquariums where humans sleep among the marine world.
Episode 1: ReefWorld – The Ultimate Ocean Escape
Hop off the ferry from the Whitsundays and step onboard ReefWorld Pontoon, Australia’s only underwater accommodation, located 39 nautical miles off Queensland’s coast. Floating above the Great Barrier Reef are the breathtaking Reefsuites, fully submerged accommodation offering unparalleled views beneath the sea surface.
Reefworld is like a ship; an island; an off grid build and an art installation all combined. Its architecture is about more than shelter and refuge; windows and floors are designed to make you feel like you’re in the water. The sea is above, beside and below you. It’s like a window into another dimension; a dimension that’s much closer than we think.
Series host Phillip Vannini takes viewers swimming around the submerged hotel and to fully immerse in the stunning and vibrant Great Barrier Reef below. Renee Branton-Bown (General Manager of Cruise Whitsundays) and Tyson Seamer (the Pontoon’s manager) reveal how this remarkable structure operates in harmony with the vibrant marine life of the Great Barrier Reef, showcasing an unforgettable experience where nature and human design meet.
“You do come here to be seen; however, not by humans.”
“Here, time passes the way it does: because the world outside, and the world inside are one and the same.”
Ep 1 ReefWorld (17 mins) Australia / Canada (Available December 2)
Episode 2: Jules’ Undersea Lodge – The Deep Dive Experience
Zip up the wetsuit, breathe in through the mouth, and dive down into Jules’ Undersea Lodge: the world’s only fully submerged hotel, located 25 feet below the sea in Key Largo, Florida. Accessible only by diving, this unique habitat offers an exclusive glimpse into life beneath the waves.
Next, meet Ian Koblick, the lodge’s visionary designer and a pioneer of underwater habitats, and share in his insights from decades of groundbreaking projects, including the historic Tektite missions.
Later, join Dr. Joseph Dituri as he recounts his record-breaking 100-day stay at Jules’ Undersea Lodge, revealing what it takes to live underwater for an extended time, and what discoveries can be found about our environment and ourselves deep below.
“If you look where you’ve always looked; you’ll find what you’ve always found.”
“A world in which we are visitors, and not meant to stay long.”
“Shelter itself is a luxury, in the underwater world.”
Ep 2 Jules’ Undersea Lodge (17 mins) Australia / Canada (Available December 9)
Episode 3: The Manta Resort’s Underwater Room – Art, Design, and Conservation
Journey to the stunning Pemba Island in the Zanzibar Archipelago, Tanzania, to discover The Manta Resort’s Underwater Room – a minimalist floating cabin initially conceived as an art installation.
Join designer Mikael Genberg and co-founder Matthew Saus as they share the inspiration behind this one-of-a-kind structure and its transformation into a unique underwater retreat.
Delve into the local conservation efforts led by the Kwanini Foundation, highlighting the critical role of the community and guests in preserving the vibrant marine environment surrounding this secluded getaway; and how the hotel is opening the door for deeper conversations about marine conservation.
“Utopian Architecture is the stuff of fantasies. Alotopian Architecture is the stuff of dreams that come true, in places where you learn what else life could be.”
“The building floats like a football; designed to go up and down with the tides.”
“You’re much more of a subject, than an observer.”
“See the world from another angle.”
Ep 3 Manta Resort’s Underwater Room (17 mins) Australia / Canada (Available December 16)
Episode 4: The Muraka – Luxury Beneath the Waves
In the series finale, explore The Muraka, the world’s largest underwater residence at Conrad Maldives on Rangali Island. Discover its origins through the inspiring story of architect and developer Ahmed Saleem, who first envisioned and experimented with the island’s future in the early 1990s, after arriving with a small loan and a bold dream.
Dive into the surrounding reef with host Phillip Vannini to uncover the delicate balance between luxury and nature, and learn how coral plays a vital role in the island’s ecosystem and the innovative design of the truly unique Muraka itself.
“This is not some kind of a villa with a private ocean; but a place meant to make you ask questions you’ve never asked before.”
“A secret passage to a lost underwater city.”
“Yes you can say we took something, but also that we gave a lot more in return!” – architect Ahemd Saleem
Ep 4 The Muraka (17 mins) Australia / Canada (Available December 23)
More TV Central Shelter content HERE
December 2024 on Shelter
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Shelter is a premium streaming service bringing you the world’s finest films about architecture & design.
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