In the Qinhuangdao section of Hebei, China, Aranya theTANG hotel sets a new precedent for modern habitation. The community-oriented property comprises a hexagonal form and a sense of openness that dynamically shifts the traditional hotel configuration through a design by Beijing-based B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio.
“In this project, we present new thinking of people and spatial scale,” says the firm’s director Shuhei Aoyama. “The truly valuable physical place is the spaces that can combine living, communication, and cultural space while offering a sense of comprehensive experience. In such an era, architecture needs to become a platform to provide people with opportunities to communicate with each other and retrieve the power of emotions.”
Transparent glass wraps the first floor in a curtain wall to frame broad sightlines from several communal areas. Modern minimalist interiors showcase a unique interplay of light and shadow as well. Eight smaller volumes house the accommodations on the second and third levels across a cantilevered design wrapped in white steel that renders the section of the building like a small floating community. Laminated bamboo also offsets the blanched palette along with aluminum panels on the balconies.
The varying scales of each building element establishes abundant negative space for a plaza-like experience that abounds in informal ways—like in a communal living room on the second floor. Ranging from 280 to 390 square feet, accommodations are lined with a natural palette of wood, stucco, and travertine to further reinforce views of nature.
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