BEHIVE architects designs shanghai hotel around a 7 storey triangular atrium

in shanghai, china, BEHIVE architects has carved an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life in the shape of ‘atour s hotel’. designed for cozy stays and moments of reflection, the hotel features a range of intriguing spatial experiences, from a low-ceilinged ‘time tunnel’ entrance to a soaring atrium reception. 

hotel entry – exhibition space

images by wu qingshan

to enter the hotel, guests are guided through an exhibition space at first floor level and brought up by elevators to the reception on the third floor. referred to as a ‘time tunnel’ by the architect, this exhibition area is designed to create the surreal experience of travelling in outer space. passing through artworks, the journey through the tunnel hopes to reset guests’ state of mind before they check-in at reception. an illuminated pitched ceiling, inspired by the company logo, hovers above the dark space as an eye-catching feature to attract passersby to come inside.

the hotel atrium

images by wu qingshan

the project draws inspiration from the concept of ‘savhe’, meaning ‘respiration’ in the language of the lisu minority group, who are traced back from the place where the atour hotel brand began. BEHIVE has reshaped the originally wasted open space inside a service apartment and transformed it into a seven storey atrium space. this atrium space, which is home to the hotel reception, is called the ‘savhe’ and is designed to achieve ‘a moment of respiration’, where visitors are invited to slow down, pause and meditate for a while.

a transparent membrane canopy tops the soaring atrium space

the atrium is enclosed by a continuous bookshelf 3-storeys tall, together with the upper building façade painted in a matching color. a transparent membrane canopy tops the atrium, protecting the interior from the rain while allowing natural light to cast down and enliven the space. finally, a reflection pool is placed in the center, capturing the changing light throughout the day and rendering a serene atmosphere.

the atrium is enclosed by a continuous bookshelf three storeys tall

instead of simply servicing the guests, the public area of the hotel contains all sorts of shared programs to bring in people from the neighborhood. these functions include a bookstore, a bar, a breakfast station, co-working space and event space. a continuous angled ceiling folds and extends in response to the structural constraints of the deep beams and acts as a powerful architectural element that ties together the diverse programs underneath it. 

the verticality of the atrium is reminiscent of religious spaces

the guest rooms are designed under three themes to offer varying scales of intimacy and comfort: ‘cozy house’, ‘the gallery’, and ‘party in the woods’. ‘cozy house’ is divided from the front to the back into three zones connected by an extending pitch roof. the zone adjacent to the façade is planned as ‘the fourth space’. it’s designed as an inserted functional ‘house’ that can be transformed into themed typologies such as a teahouse, fitness club, kid’s room, or home theater.

a reflection pool features in the center of the atrium 

‘the gallery’ aims to create a feeling of living in an art gallery. multiple l-shaped masses, varying in size and material, interlock with one another and frame the space. paintings and accessories are placed to generate different viewpoints, giving guests the experience of being surrounded by works of art.

hotel public area

for the suites, the design team envisioned a scenario of ‘party in the woods’. multiple walls taking the shape of trees are arranged with different orientations to evoke the feeling of being surrounded by nature. these strong visual elements also create layers in space, framing views of activities in room and the urban greenery beyond.

hotel public area

guest room – ‘cozy house’

guest room – ‘the gallery’

suite – ‘party in the woods’

suite – ‘party in the woods’

sectional perspective

project info:

project name: ‘SAVHE’ in community: atour s hotel

location: 1588 wuzhong road, shanghai, china

client: atour hotel

architecture firm: BEHIVE architects

lead architects: darcy chang, rachael ouyang

design team: jingye wang, jinwen shangguan, lu jiang, yijun chen, stanley chuang, sam sun

design & completion year: 2018 – 2020

gross built area: 188,368 ft2 (17,500 m2)

photography: wu qingshan

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