# The Datai > "Designed to counter contemporary approaches, having built rooms within the land's rainforest whilst ensuring minimal construction impact on the setting's environment." | Attribute | Detail | |---|---| | Architect | [[Kerry Hill Architects]] | | Location | Langkawi, Malaysia | | Completed | 1994 | | Type | Luxury resort hotel | | Site | Forested ridge, 40m above sea level, 300m from beach | ![[The Datai/datai-01-aerial.jpg]] ![[The Datai/datai-02-beach.jpg]] ![[The Datai/datai-03-pool.jpg]] ![[The Datai/datai-04-canopy.jpg]] ![[The Datai/datai-05-nature.jpg]] ## About The Datai is widely regarded as Kerry Hill's most theoretically significant work. Set on a forested ridge deep within one of the world's oldest rainforests, the resort's 124 guest modules — 40 free-standing villas and 84 connected rooms — were built within the existing canopy with minimal clearing, challenging the prevailing approach of site erasure for resort development. **Materials** were sourced locally: Balau timber, Belian wood shingles, Langkawi stone and marble. The building sits 300 metres from the beach precisely to preserve the pristine coastline rather than develop on it. The project won the **Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2001** — the most prestigious prize in architecture for the Islamic world, recognising buildings that serve Muslim communities and societies. ## Awards - **2001** — Aga Khan Award for Architecture ## Reviews & Further Reading - [Datai Hotel — Aga Khan Trust for Culture](https://the.akdn/en/how-we-work/our-agencies/aga-khan-trust-culture/akaa/datai-hotel) - [The Datai Langkawi — official](https://www.thedatai.com/about-us/the-datai-langkawi/) - [Kerry Hill — RAIA Gold Medallist (ArchitectureAu)](https://architectureau.com/articles/kerry-hill-raia-gold-medallist/)