With the launch of JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai Fengxian, Marriott International celebrates the opening of its 50th hotel in the Shanghai metropolitan area. The new upscale hotel is located on the banks of Hangzhou Bay in the city’s seaside Fengxian district, and features a streamlined, organic form characterized by intertwined ribbons designed by Gensler. The smooth curvature of the building frames unique views of the water to reinforce a sense of tranquility across the property. “We designed this building for the people to be engage and experience the water,” says Gensler design director Jaime Gimeno. “When you come in, you forget that you are not far from the city and you will be stepping into a still and calm environment.”
Crafted by PLD, the hotel’s interiors reinforce the water theme through fluid forms and water elements that punctuate public spaces, including terraces and outdoor gardens. A large-scale sculpture, Tai Chi Fish, also welcomes visitors as the focal point of the fountain at the main entrance.
In addition to the lobby lounge, a trio of F&B options are housed onsite, including the JW Kitchen and fine dining concept Yan Xuan, which accommodates 15 elegant dining rooms. The signature restaurant, Shanghai Crab & Co., is animated with tanks of live crustaceans as well. Tranquility and mindfulness are emphasized at the Spa by JW, where guests can access the 24-hour fitness center, heated infinity pool, and treatment rooms. Nearly 30,000 square feet of meeting and event space rounds out the onsite amenities.
In each of the 265 guestrooms and suites, restful shades of beige and blue echo the nearby beach and sea, while clean lines instill a sense of balance.
“As designers in the built environment, we have a great responsibility to the communities, cultures, and individuals we design for,” adds Xiaomei Lee, regional managing principal for Gensler. “It’s up to us to really understand how people lead their everyday lives, and how they think and feel, to offer progressive, intelligent, varied, and authentic hotel solutions that do justice to the vast array of human values and lifestyles.”
More from HD:
The 36 Most Anticipated Hotel Openings of 2021
Marriott Makes Its Debut in Belize
4 Women Architects and Designers Tell Their Stories
