“…We’re not tourists. We’re travelers. A tourist is someone who thinks about going home the moment they arrive…Whereas a traveler might not come back at all…”

Whether in search of escapist traveling experiences or simply looking for luxurious accommodation with a breathtaking view, the primal qualities of a stone carved retreat present the opportunity to explore both.

Carved into the sandstone cliffs of  southern Jordan, an hour and a half outside of Petra, The Wadi Resort is a design of powerful architectural gestures. The 80,000 square foot form is a winning competition entry by Oppenheim Architects. It is comprised of 47 desert lodges, accompanied by assorted pools and hammams littered around the site.

The walls are to be built from rammed earth and cement mixed with local red sand. Energy consumption is meant to be minimized by utilizing the natural cooling effect of the rocks. Various conservation measures establish a closed system of harvesting rain water. Using subterranean cisterns and re-harvesting gray water should contribute to low environmental impact.

It is possible to question the overall sustainability of the building. Issues like waste disposal, transportation of supplies and the accessibility of the site are legitimate reasons for challenging the design. The moral imperative of environmentally conscious reasoning could dismiss the notion of altering an already magnificent natural setting. Nevertheless, when presented with beauty, all analytical processes are suspended. The instinctual impulse is the desire to experience it. At sight of  such all-involving blend of architectural forms and patterns of nature one is inclined to think of him-self as less of a tourist and more of a traveler.