From standard shell to shark capsule — how a custom build works
A client brief becomes a finished themed capsule home. Walk through a real project from concept to delivery.
The Shark Capsule started as a conversation about standing out. The client — a resort operator on the Hainan coast — had seen dozens of glamping sites and felt they all looked the same. They wanted something that would stop a guest mid-scroll on social media. What they ended up with was a 32m² unit shaped like an emerging shark fin, with a master bedroom, private deck, and the full Flower Capsule smart interior package inside.
Phase 1: Brief and concept
Every custom build starts with a brief session — typically one to two calls where we understand the site, the use case, the desired guest experience, and any hard constraints like footprint, access, or local regulations. From this, our design team produces three concept directions with rough renders. The client picks a direction, we iterate, and within two weeks we have an agreed concept with dimensions, material palette, and interior spec.
Phase 2: Engineering and production
Once the design is signed off, engineering drawings are produced and reviewed before we cut a single piece of material. The galvanised steel frame is fabricated first, then the exterior shell panels — in the Shark's case, a custom curved fluorocarbon aluminium skin that required tooling specific to this project. Interior fit-out runs in parallel: flooring, electrical, plumbing, joinery, and smart home wiring are all installed at the factory to the same standard as our production units.
- ✓Brief and concept: 1–2 weeks
- ✓Engineering and sign-off: 1 week
- ✓Factory production: 6–8 weeks
- ✓Quality inspection and photography: 3–5 days
- ✓Shipping and site installation: 1–2 weeks
Total time from first call to unit on site: around ten to twelve weeks for most custom builds. The Shark Capsule was on the Hainan coast and fully operational in eleven weeks from project kick-off. That timeline — for a one-of-a-kind sculptural structure — is something traditional construction cannot come close to matching.