MELBOURNE,
AUSTRALIA - Media OutReach - 8 April 2015 - LAYAN
Design won multiple awards including the prestigious Asia Hotel Design of the Year Award for The PuYu Hotel project in
Wuhan/China at the Asia Hotel Design
Awards (AHDA) held in Singapore on 12 March 2015. The awards, which were judged by representatives
of some of the world's leading hotel companies, architectural practices and
interior design firms, announced winners of 12 categories from a shortlist of
48 projects across Asia.

Lobby, Reception and Bar

Façade detail

Hotel Drop Off
Aside from the Asia Hotel Design of the Year Award, The PuYu Hotel project also
enabled LAYAN to take home three more awards in the Architecture- New Build (Urban), Interior Design -- Event Space (Conference, Banqueting & Meetings),
and the Interior Design - Lobby, Lounge
& Public Areas categories.
"Wherever we build, in the heartland of China,
the Middle East or Europe, we try to create a balance between modern luxury and
an aesthetic that is locally specific," said Johannes Hartfuss, owner, director and principal
designer of LAYAN. "We are honored to be
recognized for The PuYu Hotel project as it truly validates our brand of
design, which relates luxury experiences to the rich cultural heritage of the
country that the hotel is based in."
THE PUYU HOTEL
Located in the dynamic and international city
of Wuhan, The PuYu breaks the stereotype that the aesthetic of luxury demands a
uniform look and feel, regardless of the country within which it is located. For its design, LAYAN looked for a
sympathetic union between Chinese traditions and a modern approach to design
that would be appreciated by the hotel's international guests. The aim was to redefine luxury in China, and to
make the 330 room five-star accommodation timeless and sustainable regardless
of future trends.
The PuYu's spaces work hand-in-hand with its
service but permit quiet retreat when necessary. Instead of ostentatious
display or the functionality of check-in, guests step to a grand lobby that
invites them into The PuYu's calm pace but also makes it easy to transit in and
out of the hotel. Guests can move from
the lobby to their suite or the club room and then on to one of The PuYu's
three restaurants with no jarring changes of pace and without losing contact
with what the hotel offers.
In addition, the hotel's three restaurants were
an opportunity for LAYAN to define the hotel's aesthetic in three very
different ways. Soho, located on the ground floor overlooking an external courtyard
garden exudes a fresh, all-day dining experience, smartly styled in light
timber. The Damiano provides guests with a more formal European dining
experience including an open kitchen finished with warm copper and wall panels
of butterflied marble and hand-cast bronze tiles. For a link to local flavors and hospitality,
the Jade Garden is where guests can
come to enjoy a Chinese dining experience in private rooms seating four to 30
people. Contrasting color, intimate
lighting and exquisitely carved timber exude a modern yet authentic approach to
Chinese traditions.
The heart of the event space is the
grandiose 800sqm ball room. Behind the soaring ceiling, made from polished
copper representing a traditional Chinese screen pattern, state of the art
conferencing equipment and facilities are located. A group of custom design chandeliers drop
from the ceiling and creative a festive dramatic ambience. The material palette is both luxurious and
restrained.
Though recycled materials and those that came
from renewable sources were prioritized, LAYAN made a point to source locally
produced materials with the added advantage of reducing transport and storage
costs, boosting local businesses and industry, and allowing the firm to take
advantage of local design solutions.
Jade, bronze and ceramic objects in the rooms
and open spaces of the hotel were sourced from local markets and commissioned
from workshops in the area. Even the art
was either bought or commissioned from Wuhan artists and served to bring
lightness and continuity with Chinese traditions of painting.
"We didn't shy away from using art and
accessories to create a strong cultural link," said Hartfuss. "Used correctly,
locally sourced ornaments can be integrated to look very modern and
understated."
Image
Lobby, Reception and Bar
http://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/2739
Façade detail
http://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/2740
Hotel Drop Off
http://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/2737
Company logo
http://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/2741
ABOUT LAYAN DESIGN GROUP:
Layan Design Group is an award-winning international group of architects and designers based in Melbourne, Australia, offering a full-range of design services to the high-end hospitality industry. They aim to create timeless, modern design for luxury hotels, boutique retailers and residential commissions.
Founded in 2001, the group follows a unique design philosophy of putting human experience at its center to allow an ethic of sustainability to inform every aspect of design. Their experience spans projects across Australia, China, France, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, UAE and USA.
For more information, please visit: www.layan.net
For more on the Asia Hotel Design Awards, please visit: www.asiahoteldesignawards.com
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