Kempinski Hotel Nanjing

• Prize
  Winner in Hotel Design
• Company/Firm
  Yang Bangsheng&Associates Grp
• Designer
  Yang Bangsheng
• Other Credit
  Client Nanjing AVIC Science and Technology City De
• Location
  Nanjing, China
• Project Date
  2020

Located in the center of old town, Kempinski Hotel Nanjing is adjacent to the Ming Dynasty Palace Ruins, the world’s largest palace complex during the Middle Ages. To remind people of the transient yet glorious dynasty and to endow the hotel with unique memorable points and core competitiveness, the designer applies cultural narratives of Ming Dynasty to the magnificent space to give a review of the ancient Chinese civilization that appeared 600 years ago.

Typical cultural themes of Ming Dynasty, such as the “Imperial Palace”, “Jiangnan Examination Hall”, “Qinhuai Night Scenery” and “Jinling Taverns”, are included into the space design. Through modern design approaches, rather than boring history reproduction, the design simplifies the otherwise complex palace architecture and royal culture, making the space an epitome of history, a place that meets modern people’s residential requirements, as well as a perfect integration of international hotel brand advantages and local ethnic features.

The lobby was the pain point of design. Its east-to-west orientation, plus the glass-structured curtain wall, introduces strong sunlight to the interior space.