Harper's BAZAAR China, in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz China, commissioned us to design a unique outdoor event space as an exclusive dinner venue for their distinguished guests. Situated in the Qilian Mountains of Xinjiang Province, P.R. China, and a four-hour drive from the nearest airport, we accepted this logistical and design challenge.
I passed times, black goat-wool tents, and colorful rugs with vibrant patterns that serve as homes for the region's nomadic tribes. Their rugs add color to their lives in vast, arid mountainous areas. A tent is also one of the most basic shelters.
We aimed to create a meaningful experience for our dinner guests that was deeply rooted in the region's culture. Inspired by colorful nomadic tents, we designed an ample gathering space featuring a 30-meter by 50-meter rug and tent. Our research into local traditional fabric and rug patterns led us to update these designs. Although a 1,500-square-meter rug is quite large, it could still be overlooked amid the vastness of the mountain plateau. To counter this, we enlarged the patterns, resulting in a striking color statement.
One end of the rug lifts to serve as a tent for dinner, seating 60 guests in total. The carpet itself served as an event space, featuring a circular bar and a cylindrical DJ booth, along with several additional rugs that create superimposed patterns to showcase the cars. Dance performances and a fire installation completed the day in this "One Day Kingdom".
Our client asked us to create a unique outdoor dinner venue for their special guests. This venue is located in the Qilian Mountains of Xinjiang Province, China, which is a four-hour drive from the nearest airport. We took on this logistical and design challenge. We incorporated elements from the region's nomadic tribes, including traditional fabric patterns and colorful rugs that add vibrancy to their lives in the vast, arid mountains. Our goal was to provide our guests with a meaningful experience that reflects local culture. We designed a large gathering space inspired by nomadic tents, featuring a 30-meter by 50-meter rug and tent. We studied local traditional fabrics and rug patterns to create updated designs. Although a 1,500-square-meter rug is large, it could still blend into the mountain plateau. We enlarged the patterns for a bold visual impact. One end of the rug lifts to create a 12-meter-tall tent seating 60 guests. The rug itself serves as the event space, featuring a circular bar and a cylindrical DJ booth. We added more rugs to create layered patterns to display the cars. Dance performances and a fire installation rounded out the experience in this "One Day Kingdom."