O Beach Resort, Jordan

by Phuong Vu

Is the name “Dead Sea” scared you, or it provokes the feeling of adventurous? In whichever way you feel, Dead Sea does attract travelers from all over the world every year. And the first luxury day beach club was about to meet the need of visitors. The OBeach first-and-only day beach club, which is designed by GM Architects Company with the DIP Fund’s interior design team, had its opening on April 2010. It is located 55 kilometers away from Amman, on a “narrow, long, and steep piece of land on the shores of the Dead Sea in Jordan” (The First Resort). The goal of this project is to “create a luxurious beach club atmosphere on this very odd type of land” which is different from a hotel (The First Resort). So, you will ask about what is the difference between this club and a hotel. Any hotel offers a place to sleep (and might be some activities beyond that), but this resort is a place for a person or a group to have a private space to party or to enjoy their “beach experience”. It also offers different kinds of events such as wedding, corporate events, concert, and so on.

The main point of this particular beach club is about to bring the local lifestyle to its design; therefore, the sea view is the focal point of the club. It’s not quite surprised when the designers decide to use natural and locally-sourced building materials in the construction process. All the stone used in this resort is from the local resources. Mahmoud – one of the designers said “We’ve recycled a lot of locally sourced wood as well, mainly old telephone poles and thin bamboo strips that we used to build the pergolas and shading structures” (The First Resort). To blend with the rough surface in the surrounding area and to match with the natural theme, it uses the mixture of concrete and sand for the floor. Concrete is extremely durable and strong, which can bear the stone walls and suitable for such a commercial place like this. Giving the texture of nature, the feeling of protection and the concept of Jordan castles, stone wraps up the base and the exterior walls “with stucco made of sand and vegetable matter” (The First Resort). And then, we see stucco again in the interior walls. Stucco is the mixture of cement, lime, and silica. One pro of stucco is its acoustic character. It prevents sound transmission, which is great for a noisy place like the beach resort.

 "O Beach Resort, Jordan." Hotelmanagement-network. Amber Hotels & Resorts, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2013. http://www.hotelmanagement-network.com/projects/o-beach/o-beach4.html

Picture 2: Flickr. N.p., Apr. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2013. http://www.flickr.com/photos/roba/4561195880/sizes/z/in/photostream/

From the pool bar to the international restaurant also blend well with the rest of the design, but it still manages to have the unique style. The furniture, colors, menus, signage are all have its own identity when not distract from the overall design. Taking the inspiration from the eateries on the Amalfi coast, the Italian restaurant in the resort uses red furniture, tiled red table top, white painted ceramic, and red and white curtains. The red and white are traditional colors in Italy, so the restaurant does a great job in bringing the country’s image into the design. Also, the tiled table top is really “Italy”. Curtain is to control the acoustic problem in restaurant where people are all talking at the same time. Offering more option than just an Italian restaurant, the resort recently opens the Lebanese seafood restaurant during the winter. Because of the cold temperature of the season, it adds a fireplace to warm the air up. In addition to the fireplace, the color scheme of browns, blacks, and burgundies with the use of lots of dark wood also add to the cosy feel. The floor material is tile, the common use of Mediterranean areas. The tile used here is hand-painted by the artisans for customized order.

 tripadvisor. N.p., Apr. 2012. Web. 25 Apr. 2013. http://www.tripadvisor.com.my/Attraction_Review-g293987-d1911555-Reviews-O_Beach-Dead_Sea_Region.html

 The Bar At The O Beach Hotel. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2013. http://catbirdinjordan.wordpress.com/2011/11/05/the-dead-sea-and-fun-loving-minako/

One element that a day beach club can’t miss is the swimming pool. Because the percentage of salt in the Dead Sea is really high and people can’t just jump in and swim, hence the need of swimming pool. The OBeach has five swimming pools and other entertainment zones such as cabanas, private plunge pool, sun bathing decks, and so on going with those. The pools are covered with the green mosaic tiles which is the same shade as the ocean (the Dead Sea color is very dark green, not blue) to make the visitors feel like they are swimming in the sea.

 "O Beach Resort, Jordan." Hotelmanagement-network. Amber Hotels & Resorts, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2013. http://www.hotelmanagement-network.com/projects/o-beach/o-beach2.html

"O Beach Resort, Jordan." Hotelmanagement-network. Amber Hotels & Resorts, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2013. http://www.hotelmanagement-network.com/projects/o-beach/o-beach3.html

Besides the pool, the spa is also a plus. To keep it away from noise, it is placed hidden to the far left side. It totally opens to the sea view, but the use of curtains still keeps the privacy property of it.

 "O Beach Resort, Jordan." Hotelmanagement-network. Amber Hotels & Resorts, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2013. http://www.hotelmanagement-network.com/projects/o-beach/o-beach6.html

 The Massage Room Looking Out at the Dead Sea. 2011. Web. 25 Apr. 2013. http://catbirdinjordan.wordpress.com/2011/11/05/the-dead-sea-and-fun-loving-minako/

Bordering Jordan in the Mediterranean area, the Dead Sea has its own beautiful view and carries “Mediterranean” characters. With its nice design, the OBeach Resort would be an amazing place to visit.

Work Cited:

"O Beach Resort, Jordan." Hotelmanagement-network. Amber Hotels & Resorts, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2013. http://www.hotelmanagement-network.com/projects/o-beach/