The atrium, for instance, is oriented around abstract floating bridges—reminiscent of the ancient structures that reach across the bodies of water veining the location—that connect guestrooms with corridors. “They create a unique experience for the guests and an iconic space for the hotel,” Zhong adds.

To the north of the atrium, staggered guestroom terraces along the exterior mirror the lines of the waterways they overlook, while the southern façade is equipped with operable wooden screens that filter natural light into the interior and establish an ambiguous dynamic between inside and out. Eight different configurations span the hotel’s 31 rooms, from sundrenched, compact singles to a loft attached to a private garden. Interiors are further distinguished by warm wood, cool stone and metal, and a subtle layer of handbrushed plaster that lines the walls beside custom terrazzo applied to floors and vanity counters.

Panoramic views of the surroundings are also framed in Verse restaurant on the ground floor in another demonstration of the hotel’s indoor-outdoor convergence. “The project,” Zhong says, “is an example of how the spaces of a hotel can respond to the rich history of its location in a creative way.”

This article originally appeared in HD’s August 2022 issue.