W Macau - Studio City | Zaha Hadid Architects

Located in the Cotai district of Macau, the Hollywood-inspired Studio City resort has welcomed guests and visitors to the city since 2015. Appointed in 2017 to expand the resort, ZHA designed Studio City Phase Two with new leisure, entertainment and hospitality facilities including one of Asia’s largest indoor water parks and extensive meeting spaces. Studio City Phase Two’s design is informed by the existing resort’s cinematic references with a contemporary reinterpretation of the rich detailing, bold geometries and intricate craftsmanship of the Art Deco period.

Composed of three different gradations of glass with external fins that delineate the verticality of the hotel towers, the insulated glazing units and shading fins reduce solar heat gain and glare while maintaining thermal comfort for guests and staff. Winner of the BREEAM Asia Awards 2021, Studio City Phase Two’s high-performance building envelope together with new high-efficiency services will reduce energy demand throughout the resort.

Environmental site assessments determined the composition of Studio City Phase Two’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 native species compatible with the climate of Macau.