Hexi Corridor: A Grand Hotel Infused with Oriental Aesthetics

Chimin Cheng's Award-Winning Design Merges Modernism with Local Culture

The design's unique properties lie in its thoughtful integration of local culture, national culture, and historical context. The door header, for instance, adopts the thinking mode of modern architecture, extracting the image of a ribbon from the flying Apsaras frescoes and extending the regular form. The common dome elements in local architecture are integrated through structural changes, resulting in a design that is both virtual and real, rigid and soft.

The hotel's realization technology further enhances its uniqueness. The entrance presents a narrow and long passage that carries a deep sense of space aesthetics. The interior design, combining the shape of a cave with local pebbles, creates a rough and steady visual effect. This contrast between the quiet interior and the noisy exterior forms a pulling feeling in space, attracting guests.

Spanning a total of 10,000 square meters, the hotel lobby is a bright and open space. The ceiling is designed to resemble a blue sky, where a drop of water falls into a bowl made of Qilian Mountains dark jade on the ground, embodying the spirit of Zen penetration. The wall contrasts grey cement brick blocks with wooden grille elements, creating different ways of light entry and filling the simple space with rich rhythm.

The design process was not without challenges. The service desk's background features a flying Apsaras woodcarving work by a sculpture master, conveying historical and cultural deposits through fine lines, lifelike forms, and exquisite texture. A steel wire mesh barrier arranged vertically in front of the woodcarving adds a dynamic aesthetic to the static flying Apsaras.

Chimin Cheng's Hexi Corridor was awarded Silver in A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award in 2020. This prestigious award is given to top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. The Hexi Corridor, with its fusion of modernism and local culture, is indeed a deserving recipient of this accolade.