Tropical Islands: The Colossal Biosphere Dome

Engineering Heritage: From Airship Hangar to Living Jungle

Standing in the rural plains south of Berlin, Tropical Islands Resort represents one of the most audacious adaptive-reuse architectural achievements in human history. Originally engineered by CargoLifter AG to construct ultra-heavy cargo zeppelins, the hangar is the largest single-room, pillar-free building on Earth. The Statue of Liberty could stand upright inside its apex with room to spare.

The World's Largest Indoor Rainforest

Traversing the dome’s interior path reveals a thriving self-contained biosphere containing over 50,000 specimens of exotic trees, ferns, orchids, and mangroves. Peacocks, flamingos, turtles, and tropical fish live symbiotically within the rainforest river system. Special UV-transparent ETFE membrane foil installed along the south-facing facade allows natural sunlight to fuel photosynthesis year-round.

The South Sea & Bali Lagoon

The aquatic heart of the dome is divided into two primary zones:

• The South Sea: An Olympic-proportioned basin with a 200-meter sandy shoreline, gentle surf, and tropical palm tree canopies.
• The Bali Lagoon: Carved into sandstone grottoes inspired by Balinese temples, featuring whirlpools, currents, and hidden waterfalls at a tranquil 32°C.

Overnight Safari Lodging Under the Dome

Unlike conventional day-spas, Tropical Islands is an active 24-hour resort. Guests can lodge in authentic beachfront safari tents directly on the sand, private Polynesian lodges, or modern themed hotel suites, falling asleep to the nocturnal sounds of tropical birds and gentle water cascades.