at the future land-air transport hub of henan, china, which is expected to serve as a large hub of social and cultural exchange, lacime architects propose the construction of the ‘jianye·lanhai zhengfeng’ hotel. integrating symbols of chinese tradition, the design combines a variety of reflective textures in an attempt to generate an immersive ‘paradise city’ with a strong presence of local character. 

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all images by CAAI, ming jing

 

 

lacime architects have introduced ideas and principals of chinese ancient garden construction into the project, to form detailed exterior areas that wrap around the structure. in this way, the hotel emerges as a city-level public parlor with an open form and character. the main building facade is presented in the shape of an arc, framing the large garden that stretches out in the front of the complex.

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the architects wish to show the relationship between the building and chinese traditional worldview, in the form of ‘three arcs, two entrances and one beam of light’. the first vaulted arc and the second square arc have been shaped ‘between space and time’. the third entrance arc is the central focus of the whole façade array. when the building is reflected in water, the half-virtual and half-real arcs make up an eye that seems to target where time and space meet.

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the building has two openings: one is the west-facing garden and the other faces the sky. the entrance guides people inwards, while it leads their gaze upwards, encouraging them to look up at the sky. the internal round space derives from the concept of a chinese traditional courtyard. unlike the other external and internal spaces, the courtyard connects the sky and the earth and creates another ‘realm’ for the building, which once again, allows time and space to meet.

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in the center of the atrium lies the artistic installation ‘time container’ designed by the team at lacime architects. standing at the center of the space with its pyramid shape, it complements the round courtyard, and works together with the surrounding reflective surfaces to indicate the passage of time like an hourglass.

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in order to build a balanced composition of glossiness and reflection, the architects chose a range of matte-finish materials like frosted earthenware tile, matte composite aluminum-plastic sheet, and brushed stainless steel. the first floor of the building structured by an external square tile wall featuring a straight-curved layout and an internal cylinder-shaped tile wall, built with 100 thousand earthenware tiles. this large-scale staggered arrangement and gradual hollowed-out design achieves the gradient effect of textures.

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project info:

 

name: jianye·lanhai zhengfeng hotel
architecture office: lacime architects
chief director: song zhaoqing, zhao jingxin 
design team: zhang duo, chen liangpeng, ji linjuan
owner: central china real estate group (china) co., ltd.
project company: henan bailihui industry co.,ltd.
owner’s team: zu keqian, wang guohua, zhao ting, liu kuan, han qian, wang mengdi
landscape design: guangzhou s.p.i design co., ltd.
interior design: VVS design (shanghai) co., ltd.
curtain wall design: compass curtain wall consulting (shanghai) co., ltd.
curtain wall construction: henan jiangxiang decoration co., ltd.
lighting design: shanghai sedian lighting design firm (GP)
location: 800m (north), west of the intersection of zhonghua north road and lianhua road, xinzheng, zhengzhou
floor area: 5110 m2  

 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom