Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners Ltd., a Canadian company based in Whistler, is one of the most innovative and experienced mountain resort planning firms in the world. Among the firm’s legacy projects are iconic destinations such as Zermatt, Switzerland; Thaiwoo, China; Hanazono, Japan; and Snowbasin, USA, as well as six Winter Olympic Games venues, including Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014, and Beijing 2022. Thandiani will be Ecosign’s latest project, and one of its first in Pakistan and the broader region.
At Thandiani, Ecosign will begin with a technical assessment of what makes the site distinctive: its elevation, solar exposure, and native forest. These are the qualities the plan is designed to protect. Ecosign’s approach is to tread lightly on the landscape, respecting its natural assets and carrying them through the design.
Eric Callender, Vice President of Ecosign, said: “We have completed more than 1,000 projects across 46 countries, and the most important aspect of the work we do is to maintain a project’s local aesthetic. Our approach to Thandiani will be no different: we will plan around the site’s unique assets and work closely with the team to understand their vision and objectives. We look forward to visiting Pakistan in the coming months to walk the site with the team.”
“Pakistan has some of the greatest mountains in the world, yet not one destination has ever been planned to match them,” said Abdullah Khan, Chief Executive of Above Zero. “When you only get one chance to do it right, you go to the people who have done it a thousand times. Pakistanis have long travelled the world for mountain holidays like these. Soon, they won’t have to.”
The appointment follows the 100-year public-private partnership signed with the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in May 2026, under which conservation obligations are written into the concession itself and audited by an independent engineer and independent auditor. The majority of the site will remain an open, green landscape.
Unlike the seasonal hill stations around it, Above Zero is designed to live through all four seasons, including winter. That means year-round activity in hospitality, food services, guiding, maintenance, transport and retail. It also means training that stays with local people, and daily business for suppliers across Hazara. For the wider economy, it means holiday spending that stays in Pakistan instead of leaving it, and, over the term of the concession, a contribution running into billions of rupees.
Master planning is now under way. A full Environmental Impact Assessment will follow ahead of regulatory submission, with groundbreaking anticipated thereafter.
Pakistan has waited a long time for a mountain destination worthy of its mountains. The wait is ending.
About Above Zero Pvt. Ltd.
Above Zero is Pakistan’s first purpose-planned mountain town, at Thandiani, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, developed under a public-private partnership with the Government of KP by a consortium including Tahir Builders (Pvt.) Ltd. and the team behind Qubed Hospitality.
About Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners Ltd.
Ecosign Mountain Resort Planners Ltd. is the world’s most experienced and innovative mountain resort planning firm. Since 1975, their Whistler-based team has blended innovation, creativity and practicality in crafting over 1,000 projects across 46 countries. Drawing on 50 years of global experience, they understand how to combine careful planning with a bold vision to create efficient, buildable master plans for successful mountain destinations worldwide.
