When the most refined design meet the best hospitality in a unique fascinating location, the result is a fantastic mix between history and modernity, as proved by today’s project. Designed by Make Architects, the International studio that has been delivering award-worth projects since 2004, Temple House is the third hotel open by Swire Hotels after its debut in Hong Kong and Beijing. Located in the heart of Chengdu, one of China’s key centres of finance and commerce, this place conveys outstanding design excellence, with a high degree of comfort and facilities, and a welcoming, well-embedded “local” quality. The main design trigger was the location of Chengdu itself – with its rich history, celebrated traditions and lush landscape. The hotel embraces a typical Siheyuan or ‘courtyard house’ design, with a sequence of courtyard gardens bordered by two L-plan medium rise buildings – one housing 100 hotel rooms, and the other 42 serviced apartments.
Temple House: when history meets design in the heart of Chengdu
The latest work by Make Architects, the International studio that has been delivering award-worth projects
A beautifully-restored Qing Dynasty heritage building, at the corner of the site, is the anchor and entrance point for the hotel. Guests reach the hotel’s core facilities by travelling through the heritage building’s internal two-storey high courtyard into a reception area, and enter the main hotel by passing down a grand staircase to the landscaped courtyard level. Located here are covered routes to the lift-cores for the hotel rooms and apartments, as well as an array of restaurants, cafes, and other general facilities. The city-facing brick facades of the hotel and apartment segments were inspired by the local production of brocade, with façade panels formed of brick and black solid reconstituted stone lintel elements. The three-dimensional woven façade combines modern design with the traditional Chengdu architectural elements of timber, brick and step stones. The Temple House forms part of Chengdu’s Daci Temple Cultural and Commercial Complex, a large-scale mixed-use development by Sino-Ocean Land and Swire Properties, in one of the city’s many rapidly developing urban areas.
INFO: www.makearchitects.com
PHOTO COURTESY: CatchOn