Zaha Hadid Architects has revealed details for the Studio City Phase 2 project in Macau, following the topping out ceremony hosted by Melco Resorts & Entertainment.

Appointed in 2017 to expand the resort, Zaha Hadid Architects designed Studio City Phase 2 with new leisure, entertainment and hospitality facilities including one of Asia’s largest indoor and outdoor water parks and a six-screen Cineplex together with extensive conference and exhibition spaces.

Comprising two hotel towers with 900 guestrooms and suites, 21,000m² of shopping and dining, as well as 2,300m² of gaming space, the Studio City Phase 2 design is informed by the existing resort’s cinematic references with a contemporary reinterpretation of the rich detailing, bold geometries and craftsmanship of the Art Deco period.

Composed of three different gradations of glass with external fins that delineate the verticality of the towers, the insulated glazing units and shading fins will reduce solar heat gain and glare while maintaining thermal comfort for hotel guests. The high-performance building envelope, together with highly efficient services and systems, will reduce energy demand. All timber and timber-based products specified within the design have been harvested, traded and sourced in accordance with Forestry Stewardship Council certification.

Environmental site assessments determined the composition of Studio City Phase 2’s development away from the 15-hectare protected wetland of the adjacent Macau Cotai Ecological Zone. The orientation and configuration of the elliptical towers have been calculated to facilitate natural ventilation within and around the resort. The project’s ecologist developed preservation measures for the site’s existing flora together with compensatory planting of species compatible with the landscape and habitat.

“Zaha Hadid Architects and Melco share the same vision and determination to push boundaries,” explains Viviana Muscettola, Director at Zaha Hadid Architects. “Studio City Phase 2 continues our ten-year collaboration with Melco that includes the Morpheus Hotel at the City of Dreams in Macau. Extending the thriving Studio City resort, the highly adaptable spaces of Phase 2 have been developed by a truly global team of professionals.”

“Melco has a strong track record of contributing to Macau’s ongoing development as a world centre of leisure tourism,” says Lawrence Ho, Chairman and CEO of Melco Resorts & Entertainment. “Studio City Phase 2 reaffirms our ongoing commitment to the city and contributes to reinforcing Macau’s non-gaming proposition in Asia and internationally.”