Design practice Ad Hoc Architecture has created a new proposal for a hotel inside Volsovskaya cave in rural Russia. Dubbed the Vels Hotel, the project is located on the banks of the Vishera River and adjacent to the River Wels. The hotel emerges from the cave and terraces down to the water. Intimately linked to the landscape, the design was made to be a synthesis of the Ural mountains, cultural history and modern architecture.
The main tourist attraction in the village of Vels is the Big Volsovskaya cave. As Ad Hoc outlines, the cave is 280 meters long and is one of the three longest caves of Vishera. A concrete path leads through the cave, which starts from the parking at the road and ends at the reception at the entrance to the hotel building. At the end of the cave you can see the central space of the hotel, through which you can get to the central square by the water and then go to the path that surrounds the project. The sightseeing trail in the hotel is open to all visitors. The cave is unique in that it was formed during the underground flow of water from one large river to another (from Völs to Vishera). Passing through Volsovskaya cave was a move to experience the spirit of the place.
Passing through the cave and hotel lobby, visitor enters an open area with tables near the water. This is the beginning of the trail. The survey trail goes around the territory, dives into the forest and plunges into the ground. The trail connects the hotel with key view points. The sightseeing trail is open not only for the residents of the hotel, but also for tourists traveling past, who can also enjoy the views of the surrounding nature. On the roof of the hotel there is an amphitheater - a space where visitors can socialize or watch nature.
One of the features of the hotel is a room of silence, protruding from a stone in the forest. Such a room is designed so that a person can remain for some time alone with himself, with his thoughts and find inspiration. The path to this place is not specifically emphasized. Just walking through the forest you can find a path that leads to this room. The space inside the stone is intended for one or two. No one sees those inside. A bench adjoins the cliff, on which you can admire the surroundings: the Vishera River, the Ural Mountains and the forest. In the forest there is a sauna. The sauna consists of an indoor area and a courtyard with an outdoor jacuzzi. You can get into the sauna by walking along the path. The same path connects the sauna and the Vishera River, on the bank of which there is a descent to the water.
Part of the hotel with guest rooms is located in the woods to provide maximum privacy and views for hotel visitors. The walls of the hotel are made of monolithic concrete with the addition of salt particles. The hotel has 12 rooms. One of them is a suite (100m²), eight standard (40m²) and three standard plus (80m²) with kitchen. The unique layout of the rooms is oriented so as to provide the best views from the windows. Each room has a fireplace and a couch by the window, and offers views of the forests and mountains.
News via Ad Hoc Architecture
