oval partnership: innhouse eco boutique hotel, china

‘innhouse hotel’ by oval partnership, yunnan, chinaimage © kerun ipall images courtesy of oval partnership

the ‘innhouse hotel’ designed by the oval partnership in the natural habitat of kunming in the yunnan province of china implements a sensitive use of materials and densities to bring the guests closer to their surrounding environment in a responsible eco-boutique model. the composition consists of separate low-volume masses connected through sky bridges. this strategy not only allows groups of guests to reside in more individual quarters from other visitors, but also affords a great deal of resources in maintenance. seventeen suites are spread amongst four volumes of no more than four stories high, integrating seamlessly into the landscape, with an additional building housing all the services and reception area. five exterior courtyards connect the edifices and provide outdoor gathering spaces leading to nature trails along with the availability of ventilation and light to each unit.

the surfaces of the construction are bereft of ornamentation, focusing instead on the simplicity, quality and purity of local wood and bamboo planks applied in various fashions that pay respect to the spirit of its context. all low-E double glazed windows are oriented to extend views and reduce heatgain, using slender regularly-spaced square timber dowels as a sun screen while the rest is rendered as a solid surface on a cavity wall with a high insulative value. rainwater collection and reuse as grey water  along with a minimal site impact contribute to the international award-winning project.

nature walkways lead to each buildingimage © kerun ip

bridges and courtyards connect the structuresimage © kerun ip

various forms of wood are used to create transparencies and screens in a natural wayimage © kerun ip

overhangs and cantilevers create a sense of individuality and bring the guest closer to the environmentimage © kerun ip

all wood interiors and exteriors around a concrete baseimage © kerun ip

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bird’s eye view