This is a four-star hotel project facing a popular surf spot in the Philippines.
The HUE Hotel Group aims to open the beach to the public, which is unusual from typical beach resorts and hotels where the beaches are private and only for the guests. With this approach, the hotel becomes a cultural gathering point for visiting guests and the locals.
Their new hotel, “Wave Front” aspires to share the joy of surf sport to not only the hotel guests but also to welcome the locals to enjoy the recreational activities together. All 75 guestrooms are located on the upper floors for privacy whereas the ground floor is transformed to a communal space with public facilities such as surf shops, restaurants, clinics, and stores. This space is accessible to everyone for meetings and gatherings.
The building is conceived as a pair of curved volumes to create a cultural meeting point. Together, they create an opened-arm shape towards the town to welcome the visitors. On the shore side, the stunning panorama opens a view to all the surfing activities at the ocean. The stacked floor volumes also shift inwards facing each other with the roofed common space named “Cave Point”. This central space becomes a gathering area which shelters people from direct sunlight of the tropical climate. The hotel central lobby is a space for guests to check in and meets up with people.
Stepping down towards the shallow cliff, one can enjoy the food court and day club by the pool. Here, a natural rock with a spiritual tree is a landmark of the landscape at the heart of the void. This active shoreside will also serve as a base for surfers to depart.
