The concept of Shebara draws deeply from the island’s natural palette, its crystalline waters, shifting sands, and celestial horizons. The overwater stainless steel villas were inspired by the natural formation of pearls in the sea.
Rethinking The Future Awards 2026
Second Award | Sustainable Project – Architecture (Built)
Project Name: Shebara Resort
Category: Sustainable Project – Architecture (Built)
Studio Name: Killa Design
Design Team: Shaun Killa,
Area: 150,000 sq-ft.
Year: 2024
Location: Sheybarah Island, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Consultants: Red Sea Global
Photography Credits: © Killa Design © Red Sea Global
Render Credits: © Killa Design
Other Credits: N/A
Each overwater villa is positioned like a floating orb, suspended over the pristine waters of the Red Sea, reflecting and refracting the ever-changing light and colours of the sea and the sky.
Accessible only by seaplane or private boat, the journey to Shebara is an intentional act of disconnection. The remoteness ensures that arrival feels like entering another realm, one where silence, nature, and elemental beauty take precedence over the demands of modern life. This profound isolation was a defining influence on the resort’s architecture. We designed with humility, allowing the natural rhythms of the island to lead the way.
Positioned just metres from a dramatic 30 to 40 metre reef drop-off, the resort invites guests into a living marine sanctuary. Here, world-class diving and snorkelling unfold at the water’s edge, an immersive gateway into the Red Sea’s vibrant ecology.
The result is not only physically remote, but spiritually rare. Shebara is purpose-built for travellers who seek more than escape, those who long for deep connection, absolute privacy, and a sense of renewal that can only come from being immersed in something larger than oneself.
Shebara Resort stands as a pioneering model for sustainable luxury in one of the world’s most ecologically sensitive destinations. Located within the Red Sea’s pristine archipelago on Sheybarah Island, the project reflects Killa Design’s unwavering commitment to shaping regenerative architecture, where every design decision is deeply rooted in environmental responsibility, cultural sensitivity, and technological innovation.
A 100% solar-powered microgrid fuels the entire island, including the resort’s 73 hyper-luxury villas, back-of-house, and all hospitality functions. This ambitious energy strategy eliminates the need for diesel generators and dramatically reduces the project’s carbon footprint.
Floating above water or resting lightly on land, each villa and jetty was sited with millimetre precision to avoid ecological disruption. No seabed dredging or concrete foundations were used; instead, a steel piling system was employed to gently elevate structures above the terrain and marine environment.
More than just preserving the ecosystem, Shebara actively contributes to its revival. As part of Red Sea Global’s coral gardening initiative, the resort supports one of the world’s largest reef restoration programmes, with more than 300 football fields’ worth of coral under regeneration.
The materials chosen for Shebara, particularly the marine-grade stainless steel, were selected not only for durability and beauty, but for their recyclability and low embodied carbon. These robust forms require minimal maintenance and are designed to endure the island’s coastal climate for decades. Hyper-Luxury, Net-Zero Impact. Potable water is produced via solar-powered desalination, and all wastewater is recycled on-site through closed-loop greywater systems. This treated water is repurposed for landscape irrigation, eliminating runoff and reducing stress on the island’s limited resources. Solid waste is strictly separated, composted, or recycled, reinforcing Shebara’s zero-waste philosophy.
