Project: 10³ Boutique Hotel
Award: Commercial – Hospitality and retail, Gold, 2022
Location: Ningbo city, Zhejiang Province, China
Architect: LQS Architects
Client:10³ Boutique Hotel
Named after the typical size of a rural homestead in China, the starkly beautiful 10³ Boutique Hotel’s clean, minimalist lines make a bold statement in this rural area. The hotel faces the sea on one side, and the mountains on the other – large picture windows make the most of these fabulous surroundings. Built on the site of a traditional country house, its design team wanted the striking white cubic building to offer a geometric reinterpretation of these traditional homes.
Design highlights
The sunken semi-underground swimming pool provides a stand out design feature, in particular its plexiglass side with underwater views. Set in an austere but elegant courtyard and providing a stunning view through the floor to ceiling windows of the adjacent living room. The building’s sculptural façade features balconies overlooking the pool area and simple modern interiors let the design do the talking.
Within a relatively limited plot area - in China, land supply is strictly controlled - the design team created a building as striking as it is functional. To make the most of the smaller plot they excavated the plot to a depth of 0.9 meters, which increased the ceiling height to 3.1 meters, and created a semi-underground space to accommodate the living room and the dining room. Space is further maximised through the addition of a rooftop platform.
Photo credit: Lu Qishui, Ma Qing
LEAD ARCHITECT: Lu Qishui, Ma Qing, Li Guobin
DESIGN TEAM: Zhang Shijie, Rao Lixiao