Design firm: Continuation Studio, Hangzhou, China

The details: The Yule Mountain Boutique Hotel in Hangzhou, China occupies a unique footprint as it divides a scenic highway and a mountain range. A former farmhouse, the property offers reprieve from urban infrastructure in an effort to bond guests with nature. “We usually turn a blind eye to the beauty of nature around us,” says Jiujiang Fan, lead architect with locally based Continuation Studio. “Designers can find [that] neglected beauty, and at the same time, pull the beauty of nature back to people in an appropriate way and in a lovely space.”

The designers reduced the room count from 30 to 15 to create more spacious interiors. Carved timber elements echo historic Chinese traditions, while glass and plentiful greenery add contemporary flair. Beyond the new entryway, a shallow pool in front of the lobby forms the main part of an internal courtyard to further emphasize the connection with nature.

“We needed to build the boutique hotel into a small universe, which is independent of the external world,” Fan says. “Guests need to walk through a deep entrance to get there, after which the uproariousness would disappear and the landscape would be the only thing you live with.”


This article originally appeared in HD’s  March/April 2020 issue.