This apartment is located on the 52nd floor of the Beijing Yintai Center, the high-rise building
that houses the Park Hyatt Beijing Hotel. The apartment conveys a sense of minimalism and
simplicity and is rich in texture and color. The penthouse owner asked PEI Architects
to “recreate the atmosphere of a New York City loft with a Chinese essence.” To achieve this,
PEI was inspired by the organization of the Beijing courtyard house. The major rooms are
separated by fully latticed doors employing contemporary interpretations of traditional patterns
found in classical Chinese architecture.
The custom detailing and finishes for the apartment include Magny du Louvre limestone for
the living room, and teak floors and artisan plaster on the walls and ceiling. The walls of the
bathroom are made of Calacata Altisimo marble and glass tiles. The master dressing room
consists of a mixture of Macassar Ebony with English Sycamore for cabinetry and teak flooring.
In the master bedroom, a fully panelized leather wall behind the bed extends to the study. The
study has an acid-etched glass partition. The apartment utilizes the highest -quality fixtures
and appliances, which are combined with custom lighting and computer-integrated switching,
audio-visual, and security systems.
The interior of this corner unit, open on the north and west sides, was laid out to make the
best possible use of natural light and exterior views. For example, the north-facing living room
overlooks the ever-changing skyline of the Beijing central business district, while the bedrooms
offer views of the Forbidden City and the sun setting behind the mountain range to the west.
The public zone—made up of kitchen, dining room, living room, and library—is designed to
create one grand, connected space that can, nevertheless, be divided with sliding panels,
converting flexibly between openness and privacy.