The result is a hotel with a warm atmosphere and original simplicity that blends into the space. The design concept is guided by the bases of austerity, simplicity, and authenticity, revealing a round, stable and elegant image, which together with different rhythms of light and shadow, as well as extraordinary sensory experiences, create a sense of ritual for guests.
Description of project by CCD
The hotel is located in Dongfengyun Art Town, Mile, Yunnan Province. The architecture, conceived by renowned artist Luo Xu based on the design concept "austerity, simplicity and authenticity", reveals a round, stable and simple image.
The building seems to carry the traces of time, and seems to be kneaded by a pair of big, rough hands. It quietly lies on the red soil, showing a magnificent posture.
As approaching the interior design, CCD did not adopt "modernized" or "industrial" design expressions. Instead, the team drew inspiration from local cultural context, and leveraged simplistic languages to integrate the space into nature.
The chase of natural light
The bowl-shaped entrance space has a carved-out opening on the top, which creates pleasing echoes.
With natural daylight pouring in, dynamic light and shadows freely move in the space and fall on the curved enclosure wall, which appears like rippling water surface and evokes infinite imagination.
The varying rhythms of light and shadows coupled with surprising sensory experiences and elaborate details create a sense of ritual to welcome guests.
Lighting design
Considering the attribute of the project as a leisure resort hotel, the design team mainly utilized low-level lighting, with a view to producing a comfortable, natural and warm luminous ambience. In contrast, lighting for artworks, signs and tabletops are accentuated, to create visual highlights. Based on the principle "less is more", direct ceiling lighting is reduced to avoid glare.
The bowl-like entrance space and modern lighting installations incorporate more local cultural elements to highlight the unique features of the hotel. Lighting and daylight collides with natural materials such as red bricks, rammed earth and straw-textured paint, accentuating the presence of each other. The wall washing lighting strips installed near the floor generate a soft, graceful and ethereal vibe, perfectly interacting with the space.
Frameless black mirrored lighting fixtures are mounted in a concealed manner, creating a visual feast that light and shadows, materials and the space are well blended together.
Artistic ambience
The lobby continues natural design languages, and meanwhile shows full respect to architectural structures and local culture. Plain materials such as local red burnt bricks, cement, clay and crocks are adopted, so as to unify the tone of the interior space and integrate it with the building into a whole.
CCD abandoned complex, exaggerated decorations, and intended to let every object in the space gradually reveal the authentic charm as time passes.
The cement-finished backdrop wall, round columns, crock-shaped lamps and geometric front desks show sculpture-like powerful, three-dimensional and steady features. Those elements are independent and also complement each other.
A natural, simple atmosphere suffuses the overall space. Through various forms, the design realizes the symbiosis of natural elements and architectural space.
Tranquil waterscape
The atrium is decorated with no excessive flowers or plants, but is highlighted by a shallow rippling pool in the middle, which is tranquil yet intriguing.
The architecture and plants are reflected on the water surface, which expands the space atmospherically and provides a natural, cozy and refreshing experience. Upon entering the atrium courtyard, the guests can immediately get relaxed and feel an indescribable pleasure.
Spiritual retreat
Yunnan is a popular tourist destination for healing the mind, as time seems to stop here.
The walls of the restaurant utilize local red clay bricks and draw on the form of grape trellis, which not only combines modern innovations and old textures, but also create infinite possibilities in diversified ways.
CCD abandoned cookie-cutter, complex expressions, and added vitality and fashion to the space.
Meanwhile, local characteristic pottery is used as adornments to enhance the sense of history in the space.
The names and design of all guestrooms pay tribute to local art such as painting, pottery, dyeing and composition, as well as treasures like jade and pearls.
Every detail retains the trace of local craftsmanship and secretly tells its own story. With "warm ambience" and "original simplicity" fusing into the space, the design fully embodies the hotel's aesthetic philosophy — "Art dialogues with everything, inspiration portrays life".