Shebara Resort – The Future of Luxury Tourism in Saudi Arabia

Published in Unique Estates Life Summer 2025

Saudi Arabia makes a bold statement to the world: the future of tourism is already here – sustainable, daring, and astonishing in scale, vision, and design.

Created as part of the ambitious Red Sea Project, Shebara Resort is a luxury resort of the future. It embodies a new type of experience where technology, nature, and architecture merge in perfect harmony.

Located 15 nautical miles off the coast, on the exotic Shebara Island – a dune sheltering rare plant species and pristine coral reefs – Shebara emerges like a strand of silver pearls scattered effortlessly across the sand and water. Seventy-three villas, shaped as mirrored ellipses, are an engineering marvel – pre-fabricated in the United Arab Emirates and transported by sea to be installed with surgical precision, without disturbing the delicate natural balance.

But Shebara’s true achievement lies in its spirit – it is the first fully net-zero resort in the region. Solar energy, desalinated seawater, recycling, electric vehicles – every element is designed with sustainability in mind. The architectural language, created by the renowned Killa Design studio, is both futuristic and organic – facades reflect the sea, the sky, and the corals, while the structures appear as if floating above the water.

The interiors are no less impressive. Studio Paolo Ferrari creates an atmosphere where experimental aesthetics meet timeless elegance – travertine, leather, oak, and wool are woven into a unique sense of comfort, while artistic details such as a silvery wall bar opening to an interior in deep red surprise with creativity and boldness.

Here, in this new world, Bulgarian design finds its place. Studio KORK – a boutique interior design studio and long-time partner of Unique Estates | Christie’s International Real Estate, founded by Eng. Dimitar Zahariev and driven by the vision and investment expertise of Rada Kalibatseva, Project & Investment Manager – is already collaborating with the Red Sea Project. The studio contributes to shaping the visionary identity of the resort in partnership with international leaders such as Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo and Buro Happold.

“Fascinated by the energy and innovation of the project, I accepted the challenge to experience it personally – to immerse myself in a world that cannot be described with words or images. There, design does not merely exist – it breathes, speaks, impacts,” shares Rada Kalibatseva, who visited Shebara as a special ambassador of Unique Estates Life Magazine.

For the Studio KORK team, participating in the Red Sea Project is not just a professional commitment – it is a mission. An opportunity to be part of an innovation that redefines global perspectives on tourism, architecture, and sustainability. To create with respect for nature, with foresight, and with an aesthetic that inspires.

“As a long-time investor and entrepreneur, I believe that bold ideas leave the deepest imprint. Today, travel is no longer just movement – it is experience, emotion, culture. I am proud that together with my team we are already part of a world that redefines the boundaries of the possible,” adds Rada Kalibatseva.

Shebara Resort is an oasis of luxury that combines avant-garde vision, technological innovation, and respect for nature. It epitomizes the future of luxury tourism, where sustainability and aesthetics form a seamless whole.