From mountainsides laid out with ancient stone terraces to the sky-high citadel of Machu Picchu, there are all sorts of distinctive architectural features to dazzle visitors to the Sacred Valley of the Incas in Peru. Another is now open: A new Geodesic Dome at Las Qolqas Eco-Resort & Spa. This new purpose-built structure will add to the immersive on-property experience, which launched in late 2021 just outside of the ancient town of Ollantaytambo in the heart of the Valley. The sustainable resort, named for Inca structures used to store grains and textiles, has designed the Geodesic Dome as a multi-purpose gathering space for guest programming, with uses for everything from exchanging vows and celebrating life’s big moments, reconnecting with mind, body and nature for some yoga and meditation, and enjoying movie screenings to music concerts, lectures and even gazing at the star-filled sky.
Conceptualized by the resort’s founder, Herman van den Wall Bake, the Geodesic Dome was designed by Jorges Vinicius Oliveira Maron, whose Brazilian company Amerindia specializes in environmentally conscious construction, as well as teaching people to build domes of their own. Built with the aid of Ecoconstrucción of Cusco, Peru, and local Argentinian builder Cristian Alfredo, who makes his home nearby, the Dome is in keeping with the rest of Las Qolqas, whose approach to protecting the natural wonders and culture of the Sacred Valley. “We intend for the Geodesic Dome to be a welcoming and beautiful setting for many uses, but also a place of privacy and comfort for guests, who will be able to appreciate its keen design which is complemented by the beauty of its natural surrounds,” said Herman van den Wall Bake, Owner of Las Qolqas, who originally purchased land in the Sacred Valley with hopes of building a country house, but decided instead to create a sustainable resort to protect the region and give back to local communities.
The resort Dome is constructed of “Misa” (aka, Brazilian Oak), a wood species found throughout South America that is renowned for its lightness and strength. Measuring 10 meters in diameter and 5.2 meters in height (33 feet and 17 feet, respectively), the modular structure is tucked away on the resort grounds, with glass windows that open and close affording views of surrounding mountains. Even inside, guests will be able to detect the soothing aromas of surrounding plants and avocado and peach trees, as well as catch the first rays of sunlight breaking though mountain mists and the magnificent Milky Way beaming in the night sky above.
Resort rates from $180 for a two-person tent. For information or to make reservations at Las Qolqas Eco-Resort & Spa, please visit www.lasqolqas.com; email info@lasqolqas.com; or call/WhatsApp +51.947.299.422.
