Neri&Hu

Subterms

    Latest story

    113 Shares169 Views

    Neri&Hu highlights simplicity and functionality at Shanghai art gallery

    by

    Chinese studio Neri&Hu has designed a contemporary art gallery for Ota Fine Arts in Shanghai with a focus on the “sublime beauty of the banal”.

    The gallery sits on the ground floor of a mixed-use tower at Rockbund, a development amidst the historical Bund in Shanghai along the Huangpu River, where a series of restored colonial art deco buildings are located.
    The entrance of the gallery features an oversized sliding door”The primary design challenge was to utilise the areas along the facade for both storage and display, blurring the distinction between functional and experiential space,” explained Neri&Hu.
    “This deepened threshold condition found on both facades defines the visitor’s arrival sequence and journey within.”
    The facade of the gallery is framed in aged steel to contrast the contemporary galleryThe facade of the gallery was framed in aged steel, with portions of solid metal and large glass panels arranged to form a window display for the artworks.

    Handmade ivory tiles line the inner side of the window in a subtle woven pattern, serving as a neutral backdrop for the art pieces.
    A warehouse-sized door can be fully open on the west facade for easy transport of large art piecesAn oversized sliding door marks the entry to the gallery on the eastern facade. When opened, the entrance of the gallery is revealed, with the outer sliding door framing the window display next to it.
    When closed, the door slides back to its original position and allows the full-height glazed window to be exposed.
    The western facade features a warehouse-sized door that can be fully opened using a custom-designed handle. This allows large artworks to be delivered directly from a designated parking area into the gallery.

    Neri&Hu divides Shanghai fashion boutique with fabrics and marble screens

    Neri&Hu also added fluted glass to the exterior, which glows in the evening to illuminate the adjacent Rockbund courtyard and add elegance to the functional facade.
    Inside the gallery, the 350 square-metre space is divided into two zones – a 150-square-metre main public viewing gallery and a private zone that houses VIP rooms and office space.
    The pared-back, white VIP rooms feature contemporary furniture pieces with custom-made white tiles and a stained oak floor and were designed to create a relaxing environment, in which the attention can be focused on the art itself.
    The interior of the gallery has a neutral and simplistic tone”The project’s understated material palette and overall conceptual underpinning lies in the juxtaposition of old and new, raw and refined, ordinary and spectacular,” said Neri&Hu.
    “We hope one can appreciate the sublime beauty of the banal, as much as the brilliance of contemporary art,” it added.
    Clean white rooms are intended to highlight the art pieceNeri&Hu was founded by architects Lyndon Neri and Rosanna Hu in 2004 in Shanghai.
    Other recent projects completed by the studio include the Sanya Wellness Retreat hotel on the Chinese island of Hainan and a fashion boutique with fabrics and marble screens.
    The photography is by Zhu Runzi.
    Project credits:
    Partners-in-charge: Lyndon Neri, Rossana HuAssociate-in-charge: Jacqueline MinSenior interior designer-in-charge: Phil WangDesign team: Rovi QuFF&E procurement: Design RepublicContractors: ETQ Project (Shanghai) Limited

    Read more: More

    More stories

    • 125 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Neri&Hu divides Shanghai fashion boutique with fabrics and marble screens

      by

      Chinese studio Neri&Hu has completed a store interior for Ms MIN in Shanghai, China, to showcase the fashion brand’s diverse use of materials.

      Located at the Taikoo Li shopping complex in central Shanghai, the 195-square-metre store was designed to evoke a sense of traditional home-based atelier that places materials and craftsmanship at its centre.
      Neri&Hu designed the store in Taikoo Li”Before the Industrial Revolution, textiles were made by hand in villages across China by individual families; carding, spinning and weaving all took place in farmhouses, indeed a loom could be found in every well-conditioned homestead,” Neri&Hu explained.
      “We harken back to the notion of a traditional fabric atelier, showcasing craftsmanship, rich materiality, and a domestic sensibility.”
      White fabric sheets were hung to divide the spaceThe space was divided into several zones by a series of floor-to-ceiling open grid wooden structures.

      White fabric sheet was hung in between a wooden grid to serve as lightweight semi-transparent partitions situated on left and right side of the shop. These were designed to allow plenty of natural daylight into the store.
      “Natural daylight and the chaos of the shopping mall are filtered by the sheer fabric screens, giving the space an overall sense of calmness,” Neri&Hu said.
      The flexible panels can be re-arranged and interchanged with different materialsThe same wooden structures with overhanging eaves to the right side of the shop form a series of more private rooms.
      These are used as a reception at the front of the store along with a VIP lounge, VIP fitting room and studio area at the rear of the shop.
      An internal courtyard was formed that can accommodate exhibitionsThe central display area was arranged by a series of panels, either made with micro-cement or marble and framed in brass, which form an internal courtyard that can be used as an exhibition space.
      These panels can be re-arranged and interchanged to suit the changing fashion trends in motifs every season.

      Neri&Hu reveals design for monumental red concrete factory for Chinese furniture brand

      The entire shop was paved with curved roof tiles stacked and inlaid, a traditional pavement commonly found in the region.
      Neri&Hu also created custom mannequin figures for Ms MIN. According to the studio, the linen-made mannequins have a skin-like subtle texture.
      The lightweight semitransparent partitions allow natural daylight into the shopNeri&Hu was founded by Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu in 2004 in Shanghai. Other recent interior projects completed by the studio include cafe brand Blue Bottle’s latest shop and a flexible office space, both in Shanghai.
      The photography is by Zhu Runzi.
      Project credits:
      Partners-in-charge: Lyndon Neri, Rossana HuAssociate-in-charge: Sanif XuDesign team: Muyang Tang, Zhikang Wang, Amber Shi, Yoki Yu, Nicolas FardetLighting: Viabizzuno (Shanghai)Contractor: Shanghai Yali Design Decoration Co.

      Read more: More

    • 75 Shares179 Views

      in Rooms

      Dezeen Awards 2023 interiors longlist revealed

      by

      Dezeen has announced the 150 projects longlisted for this year’s Dezeen Awards in the interior categories, including interiors by studios Olson Kundig, Neri&Hu, Patricia Urquiola and Morris+Company.

      The 150 longlisted projects, which are in the running for awards in nine different interior project categories, are by studios located across 32 different countries including India, Slovakia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark and Latvia.
      The top three represented studio countries are the UK, with 27 longlisted entries, followed by the US with 23 and Australia with 15.
      The top project city locations are London, with 18 longlisted entries, followed by Shanghai with seven and Sydney and Paris tied with four each.
      Amongst the longlisted interiors this year are a refurbished 280-year-old courtyard house in Beijing, a textured beige ceramic home interior in Kyiv and a playful red brick-clad rooftop cafe in South Korea’s Gyeonggi-do province.

      Other longlisted projects include a monochromatic office in Barcelona, a restaurant with a curved metal-mesh ceiling in London and a retail space featuring salvaged and biomaterials.
      All Dezeen Awards 2023 longlists revealed this week
      Dezeen Awards 2023, in partnership with Bentley Motors, will reveal all longlisted projects this week. The architecture longlist was published yesterday and the design longlist will be announced tomorrow, followed by the sustainability longlist on Thursday.
      Longlisted projects have been selected from over 4,800 entries from 94 countries for the sixth edition of our awards programme, which celebrates the world’s best architecture, interiors and design, as well as the studios and individuals producing the most outstanding work.

      Above: Sun Dial Apartment by Manuelle Gautrand Architecture. Photo by Gaelle Le Boulicaut. Top: Shiny Gold by Nelly Ben Hayoun Studios. Photo by Vinciane LebrunThe next stage of Dezeen Awards 2023 will see all longlisted projects assessed by our international jury of leading professionals including interior designers Eny Lee Parker, Nick Jones and Tola Ojuolape.
      The judges will determine the projects that feature on the shortlists, which will be announced in October. A further round of judging by our master jury will determine the winners, which will be announced in November.
      One of the nine winners of the interior project categories will then be crowned the overall interior project of the year.
      Read on for the full interiors longlist:
      Union Street House by Prior Barraclough. Photo by Ben HoskingHome Interior
      › WKA Penthouse, Antwerp, Belgium, by Bruno Spaas Architectuur› Leaside Avenue, London, UK, by Emil Eve Architects› Another Seedbed: From Domesticity to Hospitality, New York, USA, by Future Projects› House FC, Taipei City, Taiwan, by Fws_work› Atelier Chabot, Montreal, Canada, by Indee Design› Hiroo Residence, Tokyo, Japan, by Keiji Ashizawa Design› Cape Drive Residence, Hong Kong, China, by Linehouse› Mureli House, Kozyn, Ukraine, by Makhno Studio› Sun Dial Apartment, Paris, France, by Manuelle Gautrand Architecture› Kamoi House, Barcelona, Spain, by Mas-aqui› Hargrave Cottage Paddington, London, UK, by Michiru Higginbotham› Adventures in Space, London UK, by Owl› Union Street House, London, UK, by Prior Barraclough› North London Family Home, London, UK, by Retrouvius› Mexican and Galician influences in Madrid, Spain, by Sierra + Delahiguera› Belgravia Townhouse, London, UK, by State of Craft Limited› Tembo Tembo Lodge, South Africa, by Studio Asaï› Light House, Singapore, by Studio iF› Villa San Francisco, California, USA, by Studio Mortazavi› A Resolutely Maximalist Mini Loft, Bagnolet, France, by Zyva Studio
      Browse all projects on the home interior longlist page.
      Taproom in the Brewery Tenczynek by Projekt Praga. Photo by ONI StudioRestaurant and bar interior
      › Kiln at Ace Hotel, Sydney, Australia, by Atelier Ace› Frescohallen, Bergen, Norway, by Claesson Koivisto Rune Architects› Nebula, London, UK, by Common Ground Workshop› Dolly, Unley, Australia, by Genesin Studio› Mala Sichuan Bistro, Houston, USA, by Gin Design Group› Beefbar Milan, Italy, by Humbert & Poyet› Chleo, New York, USA, by Islyn Studio› Gaga Coast, Shanghai, by Linehouse› Blue Bottle Zhang Yuan Cafe, Shanghai, by Neri&Hu Design and Research Office› Noma Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan, by OEO Studio› Prime Seafood Palace, Toronto, Canada, by Omar Gandhi Architects› Taproom in the Brewery Tenczynek, Poland, by Projekt Praga› Xokol, Guadalajara, Mexico, by Ruben Valdez Practice› Colemans Deli, Hathersage, UK, by SJW Architects› Cozinha das Flores and Flôr, Porto, Portugal, by Space Copenhagen› AOC Restaurant, Copenhagen, Denmark, by Spacon & X› Ikoyi, London, UK, by David Thulstrup› Light Years Asian Diner, Byron Bay, Australia, by Studio Plenty› Parconido Bakery Cafe, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, by SukChulMok› Saint Hotel, Melbourne, Australia, by Telha Clarke
      Browse all projects on the restaurant and bar longlist page.
      SABI by Grounded Living. Photo by Lean TimmsHotel and short-stay interior
      › Birch (Selsdon), London, UK, by A-nrd studio› Drift Hotel, California, USA, by Anacapa Architecture› Ace Hotel Toronto, Canada, by Atelier Ace› Ember Locke, London, UK, by Atelier Ochre & House of Dré› Capella, Sydney, Australia, by BAR Studio› Bos-Cos Sevilla, Seville, Spain, by Febrero Studio› SABI, Tasmania, Australia, by Grounded Living› Albor Hotel, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Guanajuato, Mexico, by Héctor Esrawe› Ying’nFlo, Hong Kong, China, by Linehouse› Monasty Hotel, Thessaloniki, Greece, by Not a Number Architects› The Standard, Ibiza, Spain, by Oskar Kohnen Studio› Our Habitas San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, by Our Habitas› Six Senses Rome, Italy, by Patricia Urquiola› Som Land Hostel, Shanghai, by RooMoo› Heymo 1, Espoo, Finland, by Rune & Berg Design Oy› The Standard, Bangkok, Thailand, by Standard International› Hay Boutique Hotel, Polyanytsya, Ukraine, by YOD Group
      Browse all projects on the hotel and short stay longlist page.
      Folk Kombucha by Spacon & X. Photo by Hedda RysstadWorkplace interior (small)
      › The Joint Works, Birmingham, UK, by 2G Design and Build› Lincoln St Workplace, Boston, USA, by Atelier Cho Thompson› Carnaby Club, London, UK, by Buckley Gray Yeoman› Mitsui & Co, Minato-ku, Japan, by Flooat› Studio Reisinger, Barcelona, Spain, by Isern Serra› LAJ Office and Shop, Vancouver, Canada, by Marcela Trejo› Workplace for the preparation of medicine in Riga, Latvia, by MUUD Architects› ScienceIO Headquarters, New York, USA, by Office of Tangible Space› Folk Kombucha, Copenhagen, Denmark, by Spacon & X› The Forest of Knowledge – CCI Library, Mumbai, India, by Studio Hinge› Artis Ventures, San Francisco, USA, by Studio O+A› Alera, Vancouver, Canada, by Studio Roslyn› Terroir Hobart Office, Hobart, Australia, by Terroir› Chief London, London, UK, by Thirdway› WOA Second Home, Ernakulam, India, by Workers of Art
      Browse all projects on the workplace interior (small) longlist page.
      Carlsen Publisher Campus by de Winder Architekten. Photo by Mark SeelenWorkplace interior (large)
      › Government Office, Abu Dhabi, UAE, by Agata Kurzela studio› COX Sydney Studio, Australia, by Cox Architecture› Carlsen Publisher Campus, Hamburg, Germany, by de Winder Architekten› NeueHouse Venice Beach, California, USA, by DesignAgency› Here+Now, Reading, UK, by HawkinsBrown› Sony Music UK HQ, London, UK, by MoreySmith› 215 Mare Street, London, UK, by Morris+Company› 800 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, USA, by Olson Kundig› Dice, London, UK, by Sella Concept› Bay Area Research Company by SkB Architects› Canopy Menlo Park, California, USA, by Studio Mortazavi› Adidas (GOLD, Performance Zone, and RED) campus, Portland, USA, by Studio O+A› World of Klarna, Stockholm, Sweden, by Studio Stockholm› 210 Euston Road, London, UK, by Universal Design Studio› Convene at 22 Bishopsgate, London, UK, by Woods Bagot
      Browse all projects on the workplace interior (large) longlist page.
      Dreams by Adi Goodrich of Sing-Sing. Photo by Adi Goodrich and Ye Rin MokRetail interior (small)
      › Aesop Palisades Village, Los Angeles, USA, by Odami› Big, London, UK, by Nina+Co› Bisque Golf Amsterdam, The Netherlands, by Barde vanVoltt› Buff, Edinburgh, Scotland, by GRAS› Camper Pop-Up Galeries Lafayette, Paris, France, by Penadés office› Chimi Store at NK, Stockholm, Sweden, by Campus› Coachtopia, London, UK, by Studio XAG› Cover Story Paint Studio, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, by Cover Story Paint› Dreams, Los Angeles, USA, by Adi Goodrich of Sing-Sing› Finesse, Melbourne, Australia, by Studio Edwards› Garrett Leight New York, USA, by West of West› Glossier, New York, USA, by Glossier› Mimco Flagship Store, Chadstone, Australia, by Studio Doherty› Net Zero Ecoalf Store, Madrid, Spain, by Medina Varela MVN Arquitectos› SOM Store, Bratislava, Slovakia, by D415› The Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, Australia, by Akin Atelier
      Browse all projects on the retail interior (small) longlist page.
      Superseed Concept Store by FOG Architecture. Photo by SFAPRetail interior (large)
      › Harmay Chongqing, China, by Aim Architecture› Maison Special/Prank Project Fukuoka, Japan, by AtMa› Calico Club Cottage, Nistelrode, The Netherlands, by Barde vanVoltt› ToSummer Beijing Guozijian, China, by FOG Architecture› Xiaozhuo Shanghai Boutique, China, by FOG Architecture› Super Seed Concept Store, Hangzhou, China, by FOG Architecture› Freitag Store Shanghai, China, by Freitag Lab› GANT Flagship Store, Stockholm, Sweden, by GANT› Jasmin Black Lounge, Seoul, South Korea, by Hyundai Department Store Group› The Forum, Daegu, South Korea, by Hyundai Department Store Group› GrubStreet Arts Center, Boston, USA, by Merge Architects› XiaoZhuo Flagship Store, Shanghai, by Offhand Practise› Salvatori Showroom, New York, USA, by Salvatori› Cake 0 Emissions US Headquarters, Los Angeles, USA, by Shin Shin› BSTN Store, London, UK, by Sunst Studio› SVRN, Chicago, USA, by WGNB
      Browse all projects on the retail interior (large) longlist page.
      Leisure Area of Pediatric Ward of Hospital São João by ARG studio. Photo by Ivo Tavares StudioHealth and wellbeing interior
      › Eterno Health Hamburg, Germany, by Ahochdrei – Labor für Gestaltung› Leisure Area of Pediatric Ward of Hospital São João, Porto, Portugal, by ARG studio› Insight Body and Mind, Aberfeldie, Australia, by Biasol Studio› Placidus Student Welfare Spaces for Marcellin College, Melbourne, Australia, by Branch Studio Architects› Chi Chi Club, Hamburg, Germany, by Deglan Studios› Hooke London, UK, by Holland Harvey› Gym Town, Hong Kong, China, by MR Studio› Practice Dr. Sell + Dr. Stocker, Nuremberg, Germany, by Markmus Design› Seattle Children’s Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic, USA, by NBBJ› Ocean Cosmetics Clinic, Cottesloe, Australia, by Nickolas Gurtler Office› Paw, Beijing, China, by Office AIO› Symphony Orthodontics, Bristow, Australia, by OLI Architecture› La Maison de Beauté Carita, L’Oréal-Luxe, Paris, France, by Rev/Studio› Paste, Toronto, Canada, by Studio Author› Flow Space, Shanghai, by Super Rice Architects
      Browse all projects on the health and wellbeing longlist page.
      Søylerommet – The Pillars by 2050+. Photo by 2050+Exhibition design (interior)
      › Søylerommet – The Pillars, Oslo, Norway, by 2050+› Objects Of Desire: Surrealism and Design 1924, London, UK, by Alexander Boxill› Plastics: Remaking Our World, Dundee, Scotland, by Asif Khan› Scandinavian Design and the United States, 1890-1980 at LACMA, Los Angeles, USA, by Bestor Architecture› Flow, Milan, Italy, by Daisuke Yamamoto Design Studio› The Golden Age of Grotesque, Hannover, Germany, by Didier Fiuza Faustino / Mesarchitecture› Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear, London, UK, by JA Projects› Nature. And us?, Lenzburg, Switzerland, by Kossmanndejong & Stapferhaus› BIO27 Super Vernaculars Exhibition Design, Ljubljana, Slovenia, by Medprostor› Batman x Spyscape: Immersive Interactive Experience, New York, USA, by Mona Kim Projects› Shiny Gold, Paris, France, by Nelly Ben Hayoun Studios› Refik Anadol: Unsupervised, New York, USA, by Refik Anadol Studio› Illustration corner, Ljubljana, Slovenia, by Sara&Sara› The Welcome Center, Washington, USA, by Studio Joseph› Flugt Refugee Museum of Denmark, Oksbøl, by Tinker imagineers› Our Time on Earth, London, UK, by Universal Design Studio
      Browse all projects on the exhibition design (interior) longlist page.
      Dezeen Awards 2023
      Dezeen Awards celebrates the world’s best architecture, interiors and design. Now in its sixth year, it has become the ultimate accolade for architects and designers across the globe. The annual awards are in partnership with Bentley Motors, as part of a wider collaboration that will see the brand work with Dezeen to support and inspire the next generation of design talent. More

    • 175 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Neri&Hu inserts shed into old lane house for Blue Bottle Coffee shop in Shanghai

      by

      Chinese studio Neri&Hu has inserted a stainless-steel shed into a Shanghainese lane house for Blue Bottle Coffee’s latest cafe in Shanghai, which opened to the public last week.

      Located in Zhangyuan in one of the area’s 140-year-old traditional Shikumen mansions, Neri&Hu’s design for the coffee shop aims to evoke “an intimate and nostalgic experience and bring back the memories of ‘home’.”
      The Blue Bottle coffee shop is located in an old Shanghainese lane houseShikumen, also known as lane houses, is a traditional type of Shanghainese house that was popularised during the 19th century. They usually feature high brick walls that enclose a small front yard, with residential units arranged close to one another in narrow alleys.
      For this project, Shanghai-based Neri&Hu kept the existing brick walls, wooden doors and windows of the original architectural facades but replaced the interior wooden structure with concrete.
      A shed made of stainless steel at the centre of the cafe is used as a coffee barThe formerly separate units in the building were removed to form a large open space for the cafe. A stainless-steel shed was erected at the centre of the space to serve as the main coffee bar area.

      The structure of the shed was built with brushed, perforated and bent stainless steel to maximise the transparency of the space and contrast the heavy palette of the existing architecture.

      Keiji Ashizawa designs Blue Bottle Coffee shop for “cave-like space” in Maebashi hotel

      The areas around the bar hold seating arrangements including long benches, low stone tables, wooden stools, and vintage walnut furniture, which were chosen to reflect the traditional lifestyle in Shikumen.
      Neri&Hu also nodded to the informal constructions that people living in Shikumen houses used to extend their private spaces into the alleys, by adding metal rods and small platforms to existing structural columns.
      The steel span of the coffee shop shed and its integrated lighting design came from the clothes-hanging-rods and street lamps commonly seen in the old Shikumen homes.
      The seating area features a range of vintage furnitureBlue Bottle Coffee was founded as a small roastery in Oakland, California, in 2002 and has since grown into a chain of cafes across United States and Asia.
      This is the third Blue Bottle Coffee shop in mainland China. The first one was opened in February this year, designed by Schemata Architects, followed by the second one designed by Keiji Ashizawa Design in August, all located in Shanghai.
      Neri&Hu also recently turned an old textile factory in Beijing into the headquarters of a Chinese pastry brand.
      The photography is by Zhu Runzi.
      Project credits:
      Partners-in-charge: Lyndon Neri, Rossana HuAssociate-in-charge: Qiucheng LiDesign team: Jiaxin Zhang, Xi Chen, Peizheng Zou, Shangyun Zhou, Greg Wu, Luna HongFF&E design and procurement: Design RepublicGeneral contractor: Blue Peak Image Producing Co.,Ltd
      Dezeen is on WeChat!
      Click here to read the Chinese version of this article on Dezeen’s official WeChat account, where we publish daily architecture and design news and projects in Simplified Chinese.

      Read more: More

    • 113 Shares129 Views

      in Rooms

      Neri&Hu creates “nomadic” office interiors for Shanghai media company

      by

      Chinese architecture studio Neri&Hu has designed a flexible office space in Shanghai for the changing needs of media company Red+Plus Studio’s employees.

      The Shanghai-based studio stripped back the 529-square-metre space, located on the second floor of a factory building within a former industrial campus, by removing numerous layers of previous renovations.
      The concrete structure is exposed in the office’s central spaceThe concrete structure of the building was left exposed throughout with a number of columns breaking up a large multi-use space at the centre of the office.
      Large steps within this space can be used as seating for presentations with a hidden projector placed in the roof.
      The existing skylights were used to light the desksTwo stainless-steel structures enclose meeting rooms alongside this main space, while private offices are arranged alongside it.

      A room with stainless-steel desks, which is lit by six pre-existing skylights in the sloping roof, stretches along one edge of the room.
      “With the strength of the building’s original character revealed, any additions to the space were carefully applied in layers that allow what is behind to coexist, inhabiting the liminal space between past and present,” explained the studio.
      A hidden projector can be lowered to create a screening roomThe studio used “nomad” as the design concept, based on the client’s request for flexible working spaces.
      Spaces were designed so that they can serve multiple functions, with several sliding doors created to provide flexibility and allow the company to alter the workspace dependent on future needs.

      Neri&Hu embody ethos of “reflective nostalgia” with own architecture studio in Shanghai

      “Much like the itinerant populations that move between cities to offer specialized services, the people working for and with this agency needed their spaces to transform according to various scenarios,” said the studio.
      Stainless steel and frosted glass were widely used throughout the space to contrast the concrete structure and reflect the changing usage. Galvanized steel and mesh were selected as they will change colour over time.
      Various office rooms are placed at the edge of the main spaceNeri&Hu’s other recent projects include a courtyard house in Singapore and a guesthouse wrapped in metal mesh in Shenzhen.
      The photography is by Zhu Runzi.
      Project credits:
      Partners-in-charge: Lyndon Neri, Rossana HuAssociate: Siyu ChenDesign team: Jerry Guo, Kenneth Qiao, Jinghan Li, Ath Supornchai, Kany Liu, Greg WuFF&E design and procurement: Design RepublicContractor: Shanghai Idea Mechanics Interior Designers Contractors

      Read more: More

    • 163 Shares169 Views

      in Rooms

      Terrazzo and bronze staircase forms focal point of The Sukhothai hotel by Neri&Hu

      by

      A dramatic staircase connects floors inside this Shanghai hotel, which Neri&Hu has designed with calming, nature-inspired rooms.The staircase can be found in the entrance lobby of The Sukhothai hotel, which is situated in Shanghai’s Jing’an district.

      A huge staircase is the focal point of The Sukhothai’s lobby. Photo is by Pedro Pegenaute
      It features a bronze balustrade and a staggered sequence of slim, grey-terrazzo steps that have been slightly set apart to create the illusion that they’re hovering.
      The entire structure is then enclosed by a gridded timber framework that “envelops” guests as they ascend to the first floor.

      Bronze has been used to make the balustrade, while the steps are grey terrazzo

      In the communal areas that lie beyond the staircase, Neri&Hu has fashioned an aesthetic that subtly celebrates the culture of both Shanghai and Bangkok – where the inaugural branch of The Sukhothai is located.
      “The challenge for Sukhothai in Shanghai was how to remain true to the spirit of the original iconic hotel in Bangkok while bringing in elements that represent the local culture and history,” the studio explained.

      Green hues reference nature and gardens. Photo is by Pedro Pegenaute
      “In the end, our guiding concept was inspired by a universal condition that defines many dense Asian metropolises such as Shanghai and Bangkok — the sense of fragility and congestion and the desire for a reconnection with nature, for room to breathe and rejuvenate,” it continued.
      “We created an urban oasis in the midst of the concrete jungle of the city, so every aspect of the hotel relates to nature.”

      The hotel’s swimming pool is also lined with green tiles. Photo is by Pedro Pegenaute
      Gardens became the main point of reference for the studio. For example, a network of columns has been installed in the restaurant as a nod to the ornate pillars that typically appear in Italian renaissance-style gardens.
      The forest-green leather chairs that surround the dining tables and the emerald-coloured tiles that line the open kitchen are also meant to evoke lush, verdant settings.

      Neri&Hu keeps time-worn details in Parisian restaurant Papi

      A medley of green tiles has also been applied mosaic-style to the hotel’s swimming pool.

      Natural materials are spotlighted in the bedrooms. Photo is by Pedro Pegenaute
      Neri&Hu have continued to use green tones and natural materials upstairs in the 201 guest bedrooms. Walls have been painted a tranquil jade hue, while the floor, headboards and writing desks are lined with wood.
      Pebble-grey Carrara marble has been used to line almost every surface in the bathrooms – including the tubs.

      Grey marble lines surfaces in the bathrooms
      A number of hotels have opened in China this year. Among them is the Intercontinental in Chongqing and Read and Rest Hotel in Beijing, which includes a small library filled with print magazines from across the world.
      For those looking to stay a bit more off the beaten track, Wiki World and Advanced Architecture Lab have also created a collection of 18 mirrored guest cabins on the forested mountainsides of Yichang in China’s Hubei province.
      Photography is by Xia Zhi unless stated otherwise.

      Read more: More

    • 100 Shares199 Views

      in Rooms

      Neri&Hu keeps time-worn details in Parisian restaurant Papi

      by

      A huge cylindrical volume clad in white tiles sits amongst aged stone walls inside Papi, a restaurant in Paris designed by Neri&Hu.Papi can be found in the French capital’s ninth arrondissement, taking over the ground floor of a 19th-century Haussmann building.

      Top image: the exterior of Papi. Above: steel-framed windows can be pushed back to open up the restaurant to the street
      Rather than modernising the 52-square-metre site of the restaurant, Neri&Hu has instead tried to showcase the “layers of material heritage” that denote the building’s long and storied past.
      The Shanghai-based studio explained the building works had to be carried out “as carefully as an archaeological dig”.

      Neri & Hu stripped back the interior to expose old brick and limestone surfaces

      “Every single existing element was meticulously examined, and the challenge was in resisting the urge to fix every imperfection, to instead honour the imprint of time upon each surface,” added Neri&Hu.
      “Each fragment represents a different period in Paris’ history, forming a beautiful yet challenging existing canvas for [Neri&Hu] to intervene.”

      The dining area is enclosed within a cylindrical volume
      Wallcoverings and finishes that have built up over the years from previous occupants have been peeled back to reveal the building’s older brick or limestone surfaces.
      Aged stone moulding that borders the entrance door has also been exposed, and a slim cut-out has been made in the facade to reveal an existing steel lintel.
      Similar steel has been used to frame the expansive panels of glazing that front the restaurant. These can be slid back during the warmer months, diffusing the boundary between Papi’s diners and passersby on the street.

      Slim white tiles clad the inside and outside of the volume
      The most significant contemporary addition that Neri&Hu have made to the interior is a towering cylindrical volume that encompasses Papi’s eating area.
      Clad in narrow white tiles, the volume has been placed slightly off-centre so that it butts up against the right-hand side of the restaurant.

      Neri&Hu looked to “traditional courtyard house typology” for Tsingpu Yangzhou Retreat

      Inside are a handful of wooden dining tables and chairs. Guests can alternatively opt to sit on one of the bench seats that have been fitted in the birch plywood-lined openings running around the perimeter of the volume.

      The volume hugs against the restaurant’s right-hand wall
      Other than a couple of tube lights – specifically chosen by Neri&Hu to stand in “stark modern contrast” to the crumbling stone walls – decor in Papi has been kept to a minimum.
      A few mirrors have also been incorporated within the cylinder.
      “[The mirrors] create dynamic perspectives and voyeuristic moments between interior and exterior, but also invite guests within to cross gazes,” concluded the studio.

      Bench seats have been integrated into the volume’s openings
      Neri&Hu has been established since 2004. Other projects that the studio has completed this year include a cultural centre in Beijing that’s covered with aluminium louvres and a hotel in Taipei that takes design cues from the city’s urban landscape.
      Photography is by Simone Bossi.

      Read more: More