The Swire Hotel Shanghai is part of the mixed-use Dazhongli development in the Jing’an district. The work ofPiero Lissoni and Lissoni Architettura includes the façade concept and the interior design of all public spaces, guestrooms and mid-stay apartments of two tower buildings: Tower 5, the Hotel, with 111 rooms, restaurants, an events space, swimming pools and spa; Tower 6, the 102 Serviced Apartments, comprising studios as well as one and two bedroom units.

The façade system is conceived as an array of rounded aluminum louvers, which provide shade and privacy to guestrooms and a vibrant, textured finish to the carefully positioned wall cladding, so distinguishing the two buildings within the context of the surrounding commercial towers.

The idea behind the interior design project is based on a combination of different ex­pressive forms: stylistic features that are typical of the history and culture of local crafts are placed in relation to contemporary elements to generate an attractive spatial equilibrium. Based on an astute use of contrast, style, material and color, the internal living areas are sophisticated and elegant, based on simplicity but studied down to the last detail.

The Hotel rooms
The rooms are furnished with a combination of contemporary design ele­ments, custom made pieces and some modern reinterpretations of tradi­tional Asian furniture. Various accessories lend a domestic feel to the space. Each room benefits from ample city views, while the use of semi-transparent partitions preserves the sense of space and light that is enhanced by luminescent elements such as backlit walls and glazed screens for the bathrooms. The bed headboard and the living area bench system become part of the architectural arrangement – the former attached to the walk-in closet wall, the latter spanning wall to wall in the window area. Oriental-style nightstands and contemporary table lamps provide a warm accent, while examples of Chinese art add a local touch.

The Serviced Apartments
Superbly comfortable and cozy rooms are divided into different areas by semi-transparent partitions, creating the effect of a large open space. Finely carved sliding wood panels, featuring typical Chinese texture design, form a gentle barrier between the bedroom and the living area. The dominant colors are warm white used for the walls, and dark brown chosen for the brushed bamboo parquet and the ceramic floor of the bathroom. Contemporary furnishings are mixed with items from the local tradition, while some accents of color appear on the furniture and objet trouvé pieces.