Set against the dramatic backdrop of Oman’s northern fjords, Club Med Musandam reimagines the resort typology as a sensitive insertion into one of the Gulf’s most extraordinary landscapes. Perched between mountain and sea, the project is conceived less as an object and more as a terrain—one that grows from, folds into, and ultimately disappears within its natural surroundings.
En cours...
Aerial view of the Club Med Musandam site
Perched between rock mountains and sea, the project is conceived less as an object and more as a terrain—one that grows from, folds into, and ultimately disappears within its natural surroundings.
The resort is divided into programmatic clusters positioned according to solar orientation and wind exposure. A vibrant central “village” marks the arrival point.
From here, guests flow through a network of shaded paths and landscaped corridors that echo the meandering geometry of traditional wadis.
Each one of the program elements — spa, specialty restaurant, guest rooms, family zones — is fully embedded in the slope or nested along the natural curves of the terrain.
Clusters are arranged to open toward the sea while ensuring privacy between units. These subtle angular shifts, informed by solar studies and view analysis, provide every room with a unique relationship to the landscape.
The gymnasium we’ve designed prioritizes immersive and enriching visual experiences, featuring strategic viewpoints that enhance the overall building experience. From the public’s view into the courts, the sightlines extend to the serene garden from the courts, outdoor seating overlooking the racing track, and the welcoming view from the public entrance towards the garden.
Material selection is local and restrained. Limestone from the site is reused in walls and facades. Lime plaster, clay render, and rough textures lend the architecture a tactile continuity with its context. Water features, courtyards, and wind passages amplify passive cooling, supported by a measured lighting strategy that preserves the integrity of the night sky.
The wadi, a naturally occurring depression, becomes a spatial spine—both ecological and experiential. It structures movement across the site while hosting a range of activities: outdoor yoga, farming terraces, stargazing decks, and botanical gardens. Here, guests engage with the land not as a backdrop, but as a living, performative system.
By refusing the image of the iconic resort and instead embracing fragmentation, porosity, and embeddedness, Club Med Musandam proposes a model of development grounded in ecological intelligence, cultural continuity, and spatial richness.
It is a place of quiet immersion, where architecture dissolves into landscape, and where every path, wall, and view feels enhanced and unique.
