Macau (MNA) – Morpheus Tower is marking the beginning of a new era for the gaming city, offering “something new and special that specifically belongs to Macau,” claims Viviana Muscetolla, the project director of the new hotel venture by Melco Resorts & Entertainment set to open at City of Dreams (CoD) in less than two weeks on June 15.
Speaking to Macau News Agency (MNA) in Macau, Ms. Muscetolla talked about the project designer, the late Dame Zaha Hadid, the office’s relationship with its client, Melco, and the intricacies and challenges of a project like Morpheus. The project director also confirmed to MNA that the company has started a new venture with Melco, but claims it is still too early to announce it.
MNA: How was the design of Morpheus Hotel born?
Viviana Muscetolla. Zaha Hadid was involved in the first meeting with Lawrence [Ho Yau Lung] in 2012. She also revised and followed the projects at different stages of the design. When she sadly passed away, we were already on site. Nevertheless, all of the designs and plans are done by our Zaha Hadid architects. They all contribute to help the company fine-tune the best designs.
What references and ideas have served as inspirations for the project?
VM. One of the initial references we use is the curving out of the jade. The idea of the exoskeleton came soon after – a combination of what the client wanted for this building and in terms of what we wanted to do in aesthetics. The client wanted this place to have many elements before common facilities. Apart from the rooms, the client wanted to combine the two buildings. It is a special venue.
To be able to free as much space as possible in the interior layout, we came up with this idea of the exoskeleton, a structure associated outside of the building. Another reason we used the exoskeleton is that whenever we design our buildings, we have in mind that they have to comply with steady requirements, they have to be truly structured. The exoskeleton is somehow the bones of a very pretty lady. Without those bones, the building does not exist.
What are the main challenges for a company like Zaha Hadid’s to develop a project like Morpheus?
VM. The only crucial part is when you find a client like Melco that shares your vision. You can be the most skilled designer or architect, but if you do not get a client that follows you, understands the vision, you will not be able to do it. That is the first step. It needs many different parties to work together to fabricate a building.
Regarding the technique, the area for us is limited and Melco was looking for a great numbers of rooms as well as many other things, such as restaurants and swimming pool, all located in the building. In the construction industry, we do something which is not simple. It is very strange that technologies have been so advanced in many other areas in this century, but not in the construction industry. Morpheus is a mission, it seems to be the beginning out of the box. We want to push what we normally think architecture is.
Are there any other projects by Zaha Hadid Architects planned for Macau or a nearby region?
We recently started on a new adventure with Melco. But it is not the time to announce it.
How do you position Morpheus vis-a-vis other hotels in Macau and Asia?
VM. I want Morpheus to represent a new era of Macau. Morpheus is unique. A lot of other operators or hotel brands in Macau have chosen to develop something that belongs to other cultures or spots of other countries. I think this choice belongs a little bit to the past.
Melco understood that Chinese or international guests travel nowadays. You do not need to create an imitation of something in Europe. You can create something that is unique and special to Macau. If you are coming here, you want to see the future of entertainment. Macau is the land of entertainment. Melco is the only operator that understood people come here and want something new and special that specifically belongs to Macau.
*With Edwina Liu
