The Shanghai Edition by Neri & Hu Design and Research Office: 2019 Best of Year Winner for Chain Hotel
Reconciling dichotomies is part and parcel of any project for Neri & Hu Design and Research Office partners Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu. But the challenge was twofold as the Interior Design Hall of Fame members plotted the latest iteration of the Ian Schrager Company’s burgeoning brand—The Shanghai Edition. First, the aesthetical: creating a contemporary hotel while honoring the historical context of its surroundings. Then, the structural: turning two existing buildings—an art deco block bordering a brutalist tower—into a single 52,300-square-foot property. The firm envisioned a dual solution by configuring a new entry podium, which bridges the gap in the guise of a lobby bar and lounge, the unification underscored by the ceiling’s seamless walnut grid. Inside the 85-foot-high atrium, natural light is harnessed to highlight the original facade. The sleek second-floor spa and lap pool is adjoined by full-height windows with slatted details. All of the 145 guest rooms feature oak in the living areas and white marble in the bathrooms. Public amenities span six floors, including Michelin-star chef Jason Atherton’s 27th-floor restaurant. There, an aged bronze spiral staircase leads to the rooftop terrace, where a series of bars and green spaces permit 360-degree views of the bustling metropolis below.
Project Team: Laurent Tek; Lingling Sheng; Hwajung Song; Scott Hsu; Aksel Coruh; Carmen Marin; Chris Chen; Chiara Aliverti; Danyan Jin; Esther Qian; Fino Fan; Jessica Lee; Kenneth Qiao; Ruth Chang; Sarah Xie; Tianyou Wu; Federico Salmaso; Christine Neri; Haiou Xin; Chengju Chang; Litien Peong; Brian Lo; Simin Qiu; Chen Xiaowen; Junho Jeon; Mona He; Lili Chenga.
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