DAtrans Architecture Office

The small-scale Suzhou Creek Boutique Hotel is situated within Shanghai's M50 Art District, next to Suzhou Creek and overlooking the railway station. Originally built in 1938 as the wool factory dormitories, the building is divided into three levels. The aim of the renovation is to build a tiny boutique hotel with contemporary art characteristics. The first floor will comprise a dining room, the second floor will have an office space and the third floor and top floor will have art hotel guest rooms.
Our design concept is within the crowded high-density city centre area, making the best possible use of the precious resource of the waterfront view and creating a wide open view of the recreation area. In order to focus on this central concept, we have taken down the original three-storey brick wall and timber roof and after reinforcing the foundations with a concrete framework structure, built a new steel structure for the three storeys. The three newly-built storeys have an asymmetric sloping roof and are separated into three units comprising a bedroom and lounge complex, with a shared kitchen and canteen feature for self-catering. These relatively independent hotel units will include interior designs by different contemporary artists, and the continuity of the waterfront platform will link them together from the outside.
To complete the outer appearance of the buildings is an effect of material stratification. From bottom to top, the division of the retained sections of the first and second storey will use a brick veneer and the newly-built third and top storeys and the staircase will be painted light-grey. The sun-shades, brick veneer and the paint's connecting line, roof cornice etc following the use of clean-lines and lightweight metal materials make the renovated building into a mix-and-match style reflecting the contemporary city.