Qiandao Lake (or Thousand Island Lake) is a sacred place located deep in the mountains. The German architectural firm GMP apparently fell in love with it at first sight, since in the last few years this architectural practice has designed no less than twelve villas in the site. However, the architects are determined not to disfigure the landscape of the valley and to protect it as best as they can. That’s why only after long discussions has a self-managed hotel complex been built.

The twelve buildings clearly show GMP’s DNA features, namely simplicity, efficiency and practicality. Each building is two stories high and extends over a total area of 300 m2. These buildings, located on a hill, are only partially visible to passersby, as only half of the whole complex is visible from the valley.  Indeed, the architects and engineers showed great ability at choosing the right construction spot and timing.

White floorings and spotless whitewashed walls embody the contemporary, simple architectural style of this hotel complex. This design choice helps accentuating the contrast between exterior and interior spaces, with warm colors outside and colder ones inside.

The aim of this layout is clear: to enliven this apparently austere space through warm pieces of furniture, as if the uniqueness of the hotel lied in its furniture rather than in the building itself. The hall is decorated with a boat-shaped desk, floating in the air as if the whole room was filled with water. Another boat less figurative but equipped with real paddles acts as a bench.

The colors are sober but echoing each other. The suspended ceiling is made of woven local bamboo to create a grille shape, which plays with light casting changing shadows on the white walls all day long.

This impression of aquatic movement is perceivable in each room. The pebble-shaped chairs accentuate the recurring motif of water, a metaphor evident everywhere in the complex. Even the shape of the sofa can be interpreted as a wave caressing the pebbles on the shore. Everything is undulation, gracefulness and dynamism. Nevertheless, a sense of stillness prevails in every room.

One of the most prevailing materials of this interior design is wood. It is widely known indeed that wood perfectly matches white, but here it is made even more beautiful by adding another vegetal element, the bamboo. This locally produced natural material harmoniously combines with the white walls and floors to express a feeling of endless peace.

In short, the architects combined the minimalist simplicity and the gentleness of the curved lines to create a perfect place for meditation, introspection and self-awakening, a concept that harmonizes perfectly with this ancestral sacred place.