Halfway up the north side of China’s Tianmu Mountain in Hangzhou lies Shanan Anji Deep Stream, a boutique hotel nestled within a sprawling 230 square miles of the Anji Bamboo Forest.
Shanan “was not just a design project for us but also a commitment of emotions,” says Fununit Design founder and design director Eason Zhu. “We traveled to and from the project site countless times, moved by the scenery along the way and the sincerity of the owners.”
Transformed from existing houses, the 17-key property is made of rough, natural textures and a geometric language “born from the earth and hidden in a sea of bamboo,” he says.
The accommodations—dubbed Need, Yi, and Chi—feature expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that open out into the forested mountains, with some rooms boasting skylights for a view of the stars at night. Meanwhile, the structures’ striking parabolic U-shaped walls are “meant to express a state of upward growth,” Zhu explains.
A neutral palette runs through the property, punctuated with accents of red travertine and copper, while a series of corridors that connect the buildings boast perforations in the walls that filter in sunlight.
“The architecture and interior spaces are great at capturing the light and [the shadows from the trees] that appear on the building’s façade,” Zhu says. “As the day progresses, the space feels alive.”
This article originally appeared in HD’s July 2024 issue.
