City landmarks are the “leaders”of urban cultural display and future development, which contain the humanity and spirit of one city. The completion of Westin Zhongshan Guzhen Hotel-the new landmark of China lighting capital, symbolizes the determination and attitude of Guzhen Town to leap to the world. As the interior design unit of this hotel, YANG explores the hidden spiritual value based on deep digging of the lighting capital’s cultural essence, and takes the space as a medium to show its style to the whole world.

The overall design of this hotel continues Westin’s brand characteristics: natural and casual. The fresh and bright spacial ambience is created through the interplay of light, materials and colors. The cultural element “light” has been incorporated into each functional space in various forms to highlight its artistic aura and heighten its emotional atmosphere.

The sky lobby on the 39th floor isolates the hustle and bustle of the city, which is defined by YANG as the “emotional transition” space. The high-class grey and original wood colour renders the dark tone, which contributes to emotional adjustment, allowing guests to escape from the noisy city to slowly transit to the state of inner peace. The atrium has been intentionally left blank by designers to facilitate many guests or groups to check in at the same time in high season.

Large and small “dewdrops” attached to the backdrop of reception desk is blown by the kerosene glass, of whose lustrous lustre highlights the sight line and uplifts the spatial texture. The leave-vein shaped irregular aluminium panel ceiling responds to the etched old leave-vein shaped grey stone wall, which symbolizes the prosperity and hope of life.

The wooden screen with a nearly 8 meters pendant wall lamp near the side of the window visually shows the spatial volume. The repetitive use of elements epitomizes the imagery of “ten miles lighting street” with row upon row lighting shops, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the first commercial wall lamp which ushered the lighting decoration industry of Guzhen town.

At the entrance of the lobby bar, fresh and lively greenery backdrop introduces the real nature into high-rise space, which adds a touch of vibrancy and dynamism, and shortens the distance between people and space. The LED screen adjoining to greenery backdrop broadcasts the virtual tree of the future, which responds to the ancient leave fossil grey stone wall on the side, where the life state of past, present and future comes together, and let people savour the story which is hidden in the time.

The artistic pendant light from the ceiling contains traces of progress of human civilization. Irregular lighting fixture resembles diamond which symbolizes stoneware. Sparkling light resembles sparks producing from stones, which pays tribute to the ancient wisdom of “using flint to strike a spark”. The current light producing from the “stone” is not due to fire, instead it comes from electricity, which reflects the rapid progress of human wisdom.

In order to optimize the use of natural light, the blocking of glass curtain wall is minimized in design, and allows the sunlight falls freely. At the same time, large area applies original wood material, through the interplay of light and wood, to add a warm and tender touch to the space and let people in this space feel comfortable. Low and deep couch is precisely built according to ergonomics, which represents the leisureliness and coziness of business travelling experience.

The beautiful curves of spiral staircase showcases the artistic tension of the space. The seamless splicing of interior stone and exterior metal skin conveys the modern and grand feeling, and also contains the significant change process of lighting from antique stone to modern metal.

The colour gradient of large-scale ceramic installation in the atrium of all-day dining restaurant blends the colour of soil, trunks, canopies and sunlight which incorporates the beauty of nature into the art and brings the sensual enjoyment. The partition of ceramic installation extends up to the ceiling and semi encloses one relatively separate dining area with the wooden floor to cater to different operation requirements of the hotel.

The banquet hall aims to create a brilliantly illuminated space with lively and joyful ambience. Here “lights” are the bonds of emotional connection. The “Light Cube” artistic lighting set originally created by YANG, incorporates light and technology and conceals the shape of lighting fixture to make the colourful light the focal point of the space and the unique language of emotional expression, which displays the open attitude of the lighting capital to embrace technology and future.

Detached from the rich emotional expression of the public area, guest rooms are on the contrary elegant and simple. The application of metal, stone and wood mutually outlines the blocks in the space and the shape of furniture, to convey a sense of composure and simplicity and temperament of leisureliness and business, which under the light, emanates warm and modest feeling. A touch of dark green on the carpet is a little bit jumpy yet unobtrusive, adding a touch of interest to the space.

One hotel, one city. YANG adopts the space to record the story of the city, and at the same time make the hotel itself the story of the city. Westin Zhongshan Hotel in the China lighting capital continues the story of lights.

Project Name: The Westin Zhongshan Guzhen
Category: Business Hotel
Project Location: No. 98 Tongxing Road, Guzhen Town, Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province
Project Area: Approximately 39,000 square meters
Design Consultant: Yang Bangsheng & Associates Group
Opening time: September 2019