Canadian architects Michael R. Henderson and Sandra G. Matthews, owners of Moon World Resorts Inc. (MWR), a Canada-based architectural design and intellectual property licensor, have designed a destination resort with a unique spherical resort, a lunar-shaped hospitality Place that promises guests a trip to the moon without having to venture into space.
MWR is based in Toronto, Ontario and Vancouver, BC. The Company licenses four MOON Destination Resorts (known as Regional Licenses) worldwide, one in each of the following regions: North America, Europe, Middle East/North Africa, and Asia. From a design and architectural point of view, MOON will build a true sphere, unlike many buildings that claim to be spheres, in reality only have a dome or part-dome structures. The resort’s sphere will reach at least 224 m (735 ft) above the ground while its diameter will be built to at least 198 m (650 ft). Licensees in different world regions can stretch the height and width dimensions according to local laws.
The central idea of the resort revolves around offering guests the opportunity to visit a purpose-built 10-acre lunar colony that replicates the lunar surface and will be housed on the highest level of the resort. Other levels below will house a convention center, nightclubs, restaurants, lounges, ballrooms and hotel suites, among others, in a total area of 515,000 m2 (5,540,000 sf) of LEED Gold certified built environment. All features are enclosed in a vertically aligned curtain wall within the spherical outer layer. Designers project a one-year site-specific planning exercise followed by a 4-year construction to deliver each MOON site at a cost of $5 billion.
The architects claim to be inspired by the imitation of the “Bilbao Effect” achieved by Canadian-American architect Frank Owen Gehry with the grandiose and imaginative Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain.
Michael R. Henderson said, “In a world of mediocrity, MOON will set a whole new standard in build quality, environmental protection and operational excellence. MOON will act as the ultimate bridge, allowing everyone to partake in the excitement of space tourism. As [Elon] Musk, [Jeff] Bezos and [Richard] Branson brilliantly seeks the next frontier, MOON will deliver a dynamic and authentic experience on planet earth available to all, not just a select few. MOON is an integrated, sophisticated, contemporary, one-of-a-kind destination resort focused on next-generation architecture, engineering, design, art and technology.”
