After having been selected from among 10 internationally recognised design companies, Atelier Pod, founded by Lotfi Sidirahal – a French-Moroccan architect, with an international architecture and interior design studio founded in Paris in 1999 (with offices in Dubai and Casablanca) – created the architecture and interior design project for the Anantara Jabal Akhdar Resort (the fourth collaboration between Atelier Pod and Anantara Hotels, Resorts and Spa). Sidirahal introduced us to the long Green Mountain - Jabal Akhdar, in Arabic - which is located on the vast plateau of Oman’s vast Saiq Plateau. The luxury resort is set within land covering 66,000 sqm, with a total construction area of 24,000 sqm. This project, which includes 82 rooms and 33 villas, six restaurants and lounges, a spa and recreational facilities, breathes the fresh mountaintop air.
Before beginning work, it is important to mention that Lotfi Sidirahal, from Atelier Pod, spent several days with his team at the site, assessing each space before starting the project for the resort. They got to know the mountain communities, redesigned the architectural and landscape details of the place, and only after exploring the area did they decide to move forward with their ideas and concepts for this project. Within the extraordinary heritage of the region, the Atelier Pod team soon realised that shapes, volumes, the play of light, the texture of natural materials, construction methods and decorative details are based on Oman’s tradition - not only exhibiting harmony, but also reacting to the climate and to local culture.
The hard work of the studio prevailed when the design entered the construction phase. From the Bahla Fort, a space for a simple massage, to the elegance of Jabrin Castle, the whole approach of Atelier Pod involved adapting to the essence of the local heritage. Several key elements of Omani architecture have been integrated into the resort’s concept, without neglecting the design of the project.
The surroundings are extraordinary, arousing emotions, connecting the architecture to the landscape, just as the designer behind the project explains: "We designed the entrance with the idea of a fort in mind. The exterior, with its great wooden doors, impressively showcases commanding strength. There is a dramatic contrast upon entry as the interior gives a delicate and voluptuous impression, with a majestic open courtyard featuring lush green terraces and a falaj (ancient system of water channels).”
But there is much more to this project. In the lobby, for example, guests are greeted by the gleaming wooden geodesic dome, measuring more than ten metres in diameter, and a contemporary fountain centred underneath it. Also the central courtyard, decorated with Omani arcades, grabs the attention of anyone passing. And the distant outline of the mountains can be seen extending from the terrace of the garden. Also in the courtyard, the fireplace, which serves as a central focus, is unmistakably the heart of the resort. We continue in the courtyard, which brings together a souk, a coffee shop and a library, in addition to pathways leading to the main restaurant and the banquet facilities. The resort’s accommodation is split into rooms and villas. The separate tower, to the west of the courtyard, pays tribute to Omani keeps, or burj. With its distinctive conical curvature it is a highlight of the setting, while housing a lounge and a restaurant. The rooftop was inspired by the high firing platforms of Nakhal Fort, on the one hand, and the rooftop courtyard of the Jabreen Castle on the other.
Atelier Pod has designed every detail of the resort so as to enrich guest experiences, not only through the architecture project, interior design and works of art, but also through the resort’s lighting, made in collaboration with LDC Madrid, and through landscape design, in partnership with HED London. The resort reveals the timelessness of rooted luxury. The elegant interiors reincarnate the local culture and the warm, rich colours, together with the traditional features represented here, permeate the design choices. As Sidirahal says: "We tried to continue the Omani design DNA by inventing the missing genes.” And, indeed, the design is appealing. The final result does not contradict its environment. The 115 luxury rooms and villas overlook the canyon or the tranquil gardens. 82 deluxe rooms boast spacious bedrooms and spa-like bathrooms, with a rain shower and separate bath alongside a balcony. For their part, the 33 One- or Two-Bedroom Villas offer guests an intimate escape, each endowed with a private pool overlooking the cliff, or within an exotic garden.
In the spa, with its falaj-inspired canals, the quiet sound of flowing water can be heard, while you enjoy the Jacuzzi, daybeds and hammocks. In its heart, a mysterious rough stone cube protects the sensual hammam, perpetuating the philosophy of contrast used by the designer.
Sidirahal took a post-grad course in urbanism at the Laboratoire de Géographie Urbaine de Paris. Today he designs luxury hotels around the globe, just like the one we are showcasing here. His work was rewarded in 2016 with the Radisson Blu Marrakech and with the Anantara Jabal Akhdar Resort, opened last November. Sidirahal has various prestige projects currently underway. He has been interested in architecture since a very young age. After many successful exhibitions, at the start of his career, he founded a laboratory of architectural experimentation in Paris. From that moment on, Sidirahal grew and with a luxury brand design became the co-owner of Nebka, a Parisian design company specialising in high-end luxury, collaborating with brands such as Kenzo, Armani, Clarins and Guerlain.
The Vitra Design Museum, Europe’s first historic design museum, invited Sidirahal to take part in the Blow Up exhibition in 2001 and in the Living in Motion exhibition,in 2002. And many projects were to follow...
Before beginning work, it is important to mention that Lotfi Sidirahal, from Atelier Pod, spent several days with his team at the site, assessing each space before starting the project for the resort. They got to know the mountain communities, redesigned the architectural and landscape details of the place, and only after exploring the area did they decide to move forward with their ideas and concepts for this project. Within the extraordinary heritage of the region, the Atelier Pod team soon realised that shapes, volumes, the play of light, the texture of natural materials, construction methods and decorative details are based on Oman’s tradition - not only exhibiting harmony, but also reacting to the climate and to local culture.
The hard work of the studio prevailed when the design entered the construction phase. From the Bahla Fort, a space for a simple massage, to the elegance of Jabrin Castle, the whole approach of Atelier Pod involved adapting to the essence of the local heritage. Several key elements of Omani architecture have been integrated into the resort’s concept, without neglecting the design of the project.
The surroundings are extraordinary, arousing emotions, connecting the architecture to the landscape, just as the designer behind the project explains: "We designed the entrance with the idea of a fort in mind. The exterior, with its great wooden doors, impressively showcases commanding strength. There is a dramatic contrast upon entry as the interior gives a delicate and voluptuous impression, with a majestic open courtyard featuring lush green terraces and a falaj (ancient system of water channels).”
But there is much more to this project. In the lobby, for example, guests are greeted by the gleaming wooden geodesic dome, measuring more than ten metres in diameter, and a contemporary fountain centred underneath it. Also the central courtyard, decorated with Omani arcades, grabs the attention of anyone passing. And the distant outline of the mountains can be seen extending from the terrace of the garden. Also in the courtyard, the fireplace, which serves as a central focus, is unmistakably the heart of the resort. We continue in the courtyard, which brings together a souk, a coffee shop and a library, in addition to pathways leading to the main restaurant and the banquet facilities. The resort’s accommodation is split into rooms and villas. The separate tower, to the west of the courtyard, pays tribute to Omani keeps, or burj. With its distinctive conical curvature it is a highlight of the setting, while housing a lounge and a restaurant. The rooftop was inspired by the high firing platforms of Nakhal Fort, on the one hand, and the rooftop courtyard of the Jabreen Castle on the other.
Atelier Pod has designed every detail of the resort so as to enrich guest experiences, not only through the architecture project, interior design and works of art, but also through the resort’s lighting, made in collaboration with LDC Madrid, and through landscape design, in partnership with HED London. The resort reveals the timelessness of rooted luxury. The elegant interiors reincarnate the local culture and the warm, rich colours, together with the traditional features represented here, permeate the design choices. As Sidirahal says: "We tried to continue the Omani design DNA by inventing the missing genes.” And, indeed, the design is appealing. The final result does not contradict its environment. The 115 luxury rooms and villas overlook the canyon or the tranquil gardens. 82 deluxe rooms boast spacious bedrooms and spa-like bathrooms, with a rain shower and separate bath alongside a balcony. For their part, the 33 One- or Two-Bedroom Villas offer guests an intimate escape, each endowed with a private pool overlooking the cliff, or within an exotic garden.
In the spa, with its falaj-inspired canals, the quiet sound of flowing water can be heard, while you enjoy the Jacuzzi, daybeds and hammocks. In its heart, a mysterious rough stone cube protects the sensual hammam, perpetuating the philosophy of contrast used by the designer.
Sidirahal took a post-grad course in urbanism at the Laboratoire de Géographie Urbaine de Paris. Today he designs luxury hotels around the globe, just like the one we are showcasing here. His work was rewarded in 2016 with the Radisson Blu Marrakech and with the Anantara Jabal Akhdar Resort, opened last November. Sidirahal has various prestige projects currently underway. He has been interested in architecture since a very young age. After many successful exhibitions, at the start of his career, he founded a laboratory of architectural experimentation in Paris. From that moment on, Sidirahal grew and with a luxury brand design became the co-owner of Nebka, a Parisian design company specialising in high-end luxury, collaborating with brands such as Kenzo, Armani, Clarins and Guerlain.
The Vitra Design Museum, Europe’s first historic design museum, invited Sidirahal to take part in the Blow Up exhibition in 2001 and in the Living in Motion exhibition,in 2002. And many projects were to follow...
