South West Hotel in Beijing, China

October 31, 2010 Category: Commercial Building, Hotel

The site of the South West Hotel, was designed by Henn Architekten is located in China, next to a major traffic junction of the West Fourth Ring Road and Lianhua Road in Beijing. The project is a multi-functional building complex, integrating three major programs; hotel, commerce and office. The South West Hotel sets new standards for contemporary sustainable building design, creating a green landmark for the city of Beijing.

The different spatial qualities between the exterior (city) and the interior (courtyard) are reflected in the building envelope. The inner façade appears open and transparent. Horizontal bands form balconies and outdoor gardens – secluded getaways for exchange and relaxation. The outer façade is a double layered multifunctional skin. It consolidates the miscellaneous programs behind a homogenous, large scaled surface. This surface serves as the screen for media and light installations during day and night. A matrix of LED light units supplements and surrounds a central high-end LED screen displaying commercials. The low resolution media installation (LED lights) works as a visual amplifier augmenting and abstracting the commercial content over the entire building façade.

South West Hotel design by Henn Architekten