Architecture

In contrast to the current sprawl of mega-casino hotel developments in Macau, the client for this project decided to redevelop an existing city-centre guesthouse into a boutique hotel, attracting clients because of the unique experiences it offered as opposed to its size. It was a case of extra special verses extra large.

The main challenge was to develop a signature facade that would complement and enhance the hotel’s overall brand image, which was achieved by overlaying the building’s curtain wall with an elaborate sequence of external screens, These would both shade the rooms within and create a unique appearance.

A number of screen styles was considered, and in the final design these were conceptualised as overlapping layers of leaves. Like leaves, the screens were of different shapes and sizes, laid out to a non-directional tessellated geometry. When positioned over the contrasting curtain-wall glazing, this created a rich pattern covering the whole building. At the same time, the seemingly random position of the screens gave each room its own personalised view of the city, creating a variety of diverse interior and architectural experiences to encourage repeat visits.