Taoxichuan Hotel in China’s porcelain capital, Jingdezhen, incorporates the heritage of the area into a new project by David Chipperfield Architects, with interior design by Aim Architecture. The exterior and interior of the hotel nod to its location in the Jiangxi province of eastern China, an area famous for porcelain production for more than 1,000 years. The site itself, close to Jingdezhen city centre, was once home to porcelain factories and is now rethought as a mixed-use quarter.
The hotel, part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, translates ceramic into its architecture, interior, and furniture. Aim Architecture considers this cultural context in a plethora of interior details that build on the architecture itself, including the use of brick for some interior surfaces, echoing the exterior façades.
Taoxichuan Hotel in China by David Chipperfield Architects
Spaces throughout the hotel pay tribute to the history of porcelain, tracing the journey it has taken from China and around the world. Each space interprets and celebrates different ceramic characteristics and techniques, from the green celadon glazing in the lobby to the calm clay tones of the bedrooms. In the communal areas, unglazed finishes add a grounded feel to a sociable space, while light hues define the meeting space and ballroom.
For David Chipperfield Architects, the location of the hotel lent itself naturally to the key design codes of the building. ‘David Chipperfield Architects developed a master plan, which preserves, restores and converts the existing buildings while complementing them with new buildings,’ they say.
‘The practice was also appointed to design three of the buildings within the master plan: the Grand Theatre, a music academy, and a hotel complex. The hotel complex is situated to the south. It consists of four separate buildings comprising a four-star hotel, a five-star hotel, and an events venue with a light steel structure connecting them at ground level to create communal outdoor areas for various public activities.’ §
