A Huizhou retreat
A couple based in Shanghai used their life savings to purchase a property and became its custodians more than hoteliers.
For your next trip to China, escape the buzzing cities and find refuge in a rural retreat deep in Jiangxi Province (East China). Wuyuan Skywells has recently finished the modernisation of a 300 year-old Huizhou-style property and turned it into a hotel.
The building was once used as an inn for merchants before being neglecting during the 20th century. It was also used by Chinese soldiers during the Japanese invasion of the mainland. One of the key requirements was to preserve not only the recoverable artefacts but to also recreate the elegance associated with the mansion.
Original and traditional elements in public areas were retained while the more private spaces for guests were contemporized with playful fittings and modern-day amenities, with the interior design of the 14 suites dominated by cool neutrals interspersed with occasional bright accent colours.
A unique aspect of the property was the internal timber frame, ornately carved in public areas. Since large parts of the frame had been destroyed, the team searched for and engaged Yuzong, a talented local artisan with the requisite skill and experience. Though the building features skywells, the rooms and suites themselves do not feature generous windows. To avoid polluting the external appearance and original architecture, the team introduced latticed panels on walls facing the skywells. Brick and clay walls were restored and rebuilt according to local tradition and keep the structure cool during hot summers. In terms of energy use, the hotel has a better level of thermal insulation and waste water management than the local standard.
Honours won so far include an ICONIC award, a RED DOT award, and an ABB LEAF award. The project has also been shortlisted by the INSIDE Awards being held in late November in Amsterdam.
Pictures courtesy of Marc Goodwin and Xia Zhi.
