neri & hu stacks rectangular frames on le meridien zhengzhou facades

neri & hu stacks rectangular frames on le meridien zhengzhou façades
photo by pedro pegenaute
all images courtesy of neri & hu

for the recently completed ‘le meridien’ hotel in zhengzhou, china, neri&hu design and research office have conceived a tower which is composed of stacked frames around its façades. the strategy serves to break down the large scale of the structure, while creating an identity for the building which is envisioned as a landmark for the henan province. conceptually, the building is imagined as an ‘archive’ of new and old artifacts, which become a point of discovery for travelers as well as regional residents. the 25 floor high-rise is comprised of a 5-storey podium at its base containing public functions, and 350 private guestrooms in the levels above.

upon approaching the main entry, visitors pass through a field of bronze finished poles, which support shading canopies
photo by pedro pegenaute

multiple box volumes in the tower’s composition are cantilevered outward, and treated with different tints of green glazing. these elements are further distinguished by their black and coffee colored metal cladding, which is textured with perforations to create patterns that reference the local henan wild rose.

the glass façades are broken up by expressed metal fins arranged as rectangular frames
photo by pedro pegenaute

the design of the 5-storey podium is influenced by the regionally historic longmen caves, a prominent example of chinese buddhist art carved into limestone cliffs. a sense of excavation is expressed through various openings surrounding the central atrium, which visually connect the public areas across multiple floors. above, skylights provide shafts of daylight which serve to highlight the sedimentary pattern on the gray sandstone clad walls.  green tinted windows and a sequence of chandeliers suspended high in the space help to produce a colorful ambience.

the 25 floor high-rise is comprised of a 5-storey podium at its base containing public functions
photos by pedro pegenaute

the rooftop garden contains wood-clad rectangular volumes serving as skylights to the atrium below
photo by pedro pegenaute

the main idea behind the design of the guestrooms is to express a contrast between light and dark. the living and sleeping areas are defined by their gray walls and a stained timber wainscot, while the bathrooms are  entirely finished in white and glass materials.

to disrupt the monotony of typical hotel elevator lobbies and room corridors, three-storey atriums are composed throughout the tower, and accommodate art installations.

the gravel landscape is surrounded by timber decks and slatted shading structures
photo by pedro pegenaute

le meridien zhengzhou includes three restaurants and a rooftop bar, with each receiving a different architectural treatment. the japanese restaurant features walnut boxes hung from the ceiling at different heights, creating a dynamic form above the dining area. a chinese restaurant contains private eating rooms, distinguished as black mesh volumes. below, an all day dining restaurant is lit by illuminated volumes which protrude from the ceiling.

the central atrium’s walls reference limestone cliffs, with voids infilled by tinted glass
photo by pedro pegenaute

various chandeliers are suspended throughout the high space
photo by pedro pegenaute

light-filled rectangular volumes protrude from ceiling in the all-day dining restaurant
photo by pedro pegenaute

three-storey atriums are composed throughout the hotel room tower, and accommodate art installations
photo by pedro pegenaute

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project info:

location: zhengzhou, china
project type: hospitality
design period: september 2009 – november 2013
gross square footage: 43,000 sqm
owner / developer / investor: central china 河南建业
operator: starwood hotel & resorts
architect & interior designer: neri&hu design and research office
design team: lyndon neri & rossana hu (principals-in-charge), alex mok (associate), lina hsieh lee (senior architectural designer), louise ma (interior designer), jacqueline min (architectural designer), peter eland (senior architectural designer), christina luk (senior project manger), victor ung, eva wieland, zara wang, andrew roman, windy zhang, ni duan, meng gong, amy hu, begonia sebastian, anne mu, erika lanselle, debby haepers, cai chun yan, dagmar niecke
contractors: sundart, shanghai dong yuan construction & renovation co., ltd., cim craftic interior make limited
local design institute: south architectural design institute
acoustic consultant: shen milsom & wilke
art consultant: osage art consultancy
signage consultant: ENG design consultancy
lighting consultant: LEOX lighting co.
kitchen consultant: trillion foodservices planner ltd.
spa consultant: NOLA 7 wellness and spa
furniture and lighting supplier: design republic
curtain wall contractor: beijing jianghe curtain wall co ltd
curtain wall consultant: axis facades, kaiteng curtain wall design consulting co., ltd.
landscape contractor: guangzhou landscape contruction co.
photography: pedro pegenaute