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Nautilus Artificial Island
Nautilus Artificial Island
http://www.euroweeklynews.com/ewn/news. ... 4513222306
Noticed this whilst reading the 'euroweeklynews', it may be old news but I found it quite an interesting article for those who've missed it.
As quoted from above web link:
ISLAND OF DREAMS
IN a project which is set to be one of the biggest real estate investments in Portugal, the Vale do Lobo Group of companies has recently announced plans for an artificial island of more than 100 hectares, to be built 200-300 metres in front of the resort.
The island, in the shape of two shells, will be called ‘Nautilus’ and will have an 18-hole championship golf course, underwater restaurant and hotel, casino and 700-1,000 dwellings. Access will be via a bridge, an aerial monorail, a cable car, an underwater glass tunnel for buggies and a heliport. Although the island project is based on a valid 20 year-old design, originally presented by Jose Goncalves Viana while he was Portuguese Secretary of State of the Merchant Marine, it has been substantially altered to take into account the demands of today's market.
The estimated investment is 1,500 million euros. The resort’s architecture and design team have already been working on the first ideas for the project. The eastern ‘shell’ will house the hotel, casino, shopping and leisure complex. The hotel is to be partly under water, giving the impression of walking round an aquarium.
The casino will look out to sea and will be constructed in part under the golf course. Partly submerged restaurants and shops and a half-way house for the golf course complete the complex. The western ‘shell’ will be the residential side, comprising a range of different, contemporary property options, all with sea and golf course views. There will be a mix of apartment units set round a communal winter garden area. The finishing touch is a range of villas, right on the beach.
Head architect, Vasco Vieira, said: "The designs for Nautilus Island are inspired by the island's natural, nautical surroundings: the ocean and its marine life, particularly the nautilus shell from which the island takes its overall form. The form will be echoed in the architecture of the buildings on the island."
The championship golf course, which will be the main feature of the island, will see nine holes built on each ‘shell’. To add a distinctive challenge to the course, tee-off from the bridge linking the island to the mainland is being envisaged. Designed by famous golf architect, Rocky Roquemore, the links course will take advantage of the resort’s lengthy experience in maintaining courses near the sea, gained during the past 30 years of development.
Technical and environ-mental director, Luis Matos, said: "This will be the first and possibly only golf course on an artificial island in the sea. It will be created and maintained to the highest standards, following in the footsteps of two existing courses, and will be a superb experience for golfers from round the world."
One of the island's main features, and the main reason for the idea, was to find a more permanent, environmentally friendly way to stave off the rapid erosion that the Algarve coast has suffered, in particular since the construction of the Vilamoura Marina in the 1970s.
"The new island will protect the entire coastline from up to Faro, acting as a kind of reef or breakwater, and may avoid the requirement for future sand refurbishments,” said chairmen of the group of companies, Sander Van Gelder.
“Therefore, this island could be the ultimate solution to protect the Algarve coastline from erosion, while also creating a major tourist attraction." Vale do Lobo has extensive experience in developing and marketing high quality real estate, golf and hospitality projects and the group is confident that this new step will continue in the same successful vein.
“After all, if a project such as this can work in Dubai, Australia, the United States and other countries, it can work in the Algarve,” added Van Gelder. There has been much political interest in the project, with the Mayor of Loulé saying that it is ‘exciting, innovative and adventurous’ and ‘in line with the strategy of revitalisation of Algarve tourism’.
The Portuguese Govern-ment has been told, informally, about the initiative and the first reactions have been positive.
The island will be built in a natural way, by pumping sand dredged from the seabed to the approved location, following a complex research process in which areas of the seabed are tested for quality of sand and the possibility of removing some without adversely affecting the natural balance. In the high season, the beach has more than 10,000 visitors per day. It could be assumed that the island would attract at least the same number of visitors.
The resort currently employs about 3,000 people, directly and indirectly. The island would double the size of the resort, so it could create employment for a further 3,000.
It is currently estimated that – from the time construction approval is received - it will take five years to build the island.
Noticed this whilst reading the 'euroweeklynews', it may be old news but I found it quite an interesting article for those who've missed it.
As quoted from above web link:
ISLAND OF DREAMS
IN a project which is set to be one of the biggest real estate investments in Portugal, the Vale do Lobo Group of companies has recently announced plans for an artificial island of more than 100 hectares, to be built 200-300 metres in front of the resort.
The island, in the shape of two shells, will be called ‘Nautilus’ and will have an 18-hole championship golf course, underwater restaurant and hotel, casino and 700-1,000 dwellings. Access will be via a bridge, an aerial monorail, a cable car, an underwater glass tunnel for buggies and a heliport. Although the island project is based on a valid 20 year-old design, originally presented by Jose Goncalves Viana while he was Portuguese Secretary of State of the Merchant Marine, it has been substantially altered to take into account the demands of today's market.
The estimated investment is 1,500 million euros. The resort’s architecture and design team have already been working on the first ideas for the project. The eastern ‘shell’ will house the hotel, casino, shopping and leisure complex. The hotel is to be partly under water, giving the impression of walking round an aquarium.
The casino will look out to sea and will be constructed in part under the golf course. Partly submerged restaurants and shops and a half-way house for the golf course complete the complex. The western ‘shell’ will be the residential side, comprising a range of different, contemporary property options, all with sea and golf course views. There will be a mix of apartment units set round a communal winter garden area. The finishing touch is a range of villas, right on the beach.
Head architect, Vasco Vieira, said: "The designs for Nautilus Island are inspired by the island's natural, nautical surroundings: the ocean and its marine life, particularly the nautilus shell from which the island takes its overall form. The form will be echoed in the architecture of the buildings on the island."
The championship golf course, which will be the main feature of the island, will see nine holes built on each ‘shell’. To add a distinctive challenge to the course, tee-off from the bridge linking the island to the mainland is being envisaged. Designed by famous golf architect, Rocky Roquemore, the links course will take advantage of the resort’s lengthy experience in maintaining courses near the sea, gained during the past 30 years of development.
Technical and environ-mental director, Luis Matos, said: "This will be the first and possibly only golf course on an artificial island in the sea. It will be created and maintained to the highest standards, following in the footsteps of two existing courses, and will be a superb experience for golfers from round the world."
One of the island's main features, and the main reason for the idea, was to find a more permanent, environmentally friendly way to stave off the rapid erosion that the Algarve coast has suffered, in particular since the construction of the Vilamoura Marina in the 1970s.
"The new island will protect the entire coastline from up to Faro, acting as a kind of reef or breakwater, and may avoid the requirement for future sand refurbishments,” said chairmen of the group of companies, Sander Van Gelder.
“Therefore, this island could be the ultimate solution to protect the Algarve coastline from erosion, while also creating a major tourist attraction." Vale do Lobo has extensive experience in developing and marketing high quality real estate, golf and hospitality projects and the group is confident that this new step will continue in the same successful vein.
“After all, if a project such as this can work in Dubai, Australia, the United States and other countries, it can work in the Algarve,” added Van Gelder. There has been much political interest in the project, with the Mayor of Loulé saying that it is ‘exciting, innovative and adventurous’ and ‘in line with the strategy of revitalisation of Algarve tourism’.
The Portuguese Govern-ment has been told, informally, about the initiative and the first reactions have been positive.
The island will be built in a natural way, by pumping sand dredged from the seabed to the approved location, following a complex research process in which areas of the seabed are tested for quality of sand and the possibility of removing some without adversely affecting the natural balance. In the high season, the beach has more than 10,000 visitors per day. It could be assumed that the island would attract at least the same number of visitors.
The resort currently employs about 3,000 people, directly and indirectly. The island would double the size of the resort, so it could create employment for a further 3,000.
It is currently estimated that – from the time construction approval is received - it will take five years to build the island.