Theater Hotel—A Time Journey of the Art of Design

Unique Henan-Theater Hotel is next to the “Unique Henan: Land of Dramas” Theater Complex in Zhengzhou, the capital of China’s Henan Province. It is the latest collaboration between Eric W. Tsay and Henan Central China Group following their successful project of “Pullman Kaifeng Jianye Hotel and Resorts”. The site comprises 21 theaters and 56 courtyards. Created in partnership with director Wang Chaoge and Central China Group, it is China’s first panoramic and immersive theater-themed park, and also currently the world’s largest theater complex.

The designer connects the layout with the spirit deeply rooted in Central Plain’s culture and interprets the traditional culture with modern design. By merging the space atmosphere and the local culture, the designer creates a poetic and modern living space for guests. The immersive experiences in the theater are extended to a time journey for the heart and a spiritual connection with the past and present of the Central Plain’s land.

Chapter 01
Revive Local Humanity

The Central Plain is the ancient capital that nurtured dynasties, counts greatly in Chinese history, and is the chant on the stage of the earth and heaven. The simple but warm culture of this place is condensed into a vibrant microcosm in the Theater Hotel.

The designer, boasting an in-depth understanding of the humanity, history and core spirit of Henan, drew from the region’s distinctive elements such as “silo-cave”, “wheat”, “rammed earth”, “the earth” and “the vaulted sky” as the foundational features and artistically applied them to the hotel’s design and décor, subtly incorporated into the details, reviving the local humanities.

Chapter 02
Golden Ripe Wheats on Both Sides of the Yellow River

Wheat is the foundation of Henan and the rustic totem of the Central Plains people. Therefore, the lead designer, Eric W. Tsay, incorporated wheat elements into the space. The ethereal wheat art installation at the reception in the lobby, the vivid wall decoration of wheat ears in the lounge and the various detailed wheat ears in the restaurant all demonstrate the happiness of harvest when the golden and shiny waves of the ripe wheat sway in the wind.

The “wheat ear lights” adorning the rammed earth walls in the public areas were jointly designed by Studio STAY and French fine ironwork specialist AeF. These golden wheat ears, as if swaying in the wind, were customized in Paris and are ubiquitous in the hotel. Every wheat ear light is sculpted meticulously and in detail after processes including hand welding, painting, and getting old. Upon closer inspection, layered silver patinas can even be seen. These lights, together with rammed earth walls that carry a rich cultural weight, immerse guests in the imaginary of swaying in the wheat fields, evoking a theater-like time travel through time.

Chapter 03
A New Realm on Ancient Land, without the bothering of Winds and Rains

Inspired by the distinctive architecture of the “silo cave” in the Yellow River region, the designer created a unique open courtyard and spatial design for the hotel. The courtyard is surrounded by neighboring spaces including public areas, guest rooms and public corridors. The center of the courtyard reflects different views of the four seasons, offering an immersive experience.

The image of the silo cave is interpreted into elements of rectangular frames in a modern context, appearing in the partitions, walls and ceilings of the game space and other places. The unique landscape, culture and grandeur of the Central Plains are imperceptibly expressed through details, gathering firm sentiments towards this place.

Chapter 04
Rammed Earth Walls, A Fusion with Nature

In the hotel’s public areas, the walls of the reception desk and the lounge are mostly made of rammed earth, which comes from the Central Plains. The lead designer Eric W. Tsay, inspired by the traditional architecture of local residences, demonstrates the current interpretation of materials and spatial details with modern techniques. The elements of the ripe wheat witness the flow of time, creating the best curtain image for a theatrical composition.

The changing colors of the earth are also ingeniously applied to the reception desks in the two lobbies—the blended colors of the rammed-earth masonry structure. Whether it is a spring scene with green wheat seedlings or a snowy winter scene, the colorful vitality of the land is presented.

In the Lobby Bar, “Modern Floral Metal and Ceramic Ceiling Décor” was inspired by natural elements from the Central Plains landscape. It contains 100 hand-made ceramic roses and ginger lilies, with each having a sense of extension. Arranged by Parisian artisans, they gather in clusters and vary in density, showing a natural feel.

This is also a demonstration of Eric’s skill in deducting traditional decorative techniques in modern spaces. The ceiling décor changed from traditional Western-style fancy line boards into three-dimensional art installations. This shift reflects modern society’s evolving relationship with materials, techniques and aesthetics, offering a new paradigm for contemporary space decoration.

Chapter 05
The Vast Earth, Subtle Changes in Color

The designer took the color of the earth and applied it to the flooring design throughout the public spaces. A mix use of Chinese and Italian flooring material creates a strong, textured surface that extends from the lobby to the dining areas. The grayish green tone and the subtly changing color of the vast land create a more tangible feeling. The floor of the public areas where a large number of guest rooms are located conveys a homage to the Central Plains with its original modern land design based on a holistic local landscape.

Chapter 06
The Vaulted Sky, A Vibrant Theater

The glass curtain walls strike a poetic balance between heritage and modernity. In the courtyard beneath the vaulted sky, greenery, water and light and shadow become the link between the interior and exterior. The interior space and furnishings, together with the visual extension brought by the atrium, continuously provide guests wandering in the Hotel Theater with the magic of spatial theater where local elements and modern design are merged ingeniously.

The ceiling of the comfortable all-day dining restaurant draws inspiration from the spirit of the vaulted sky, imbuing the traditional philosophy of round heavens and square earth, profound and long lasting.

Chapter 07
An Adventurous Integration of Inside and Outside

The seamless integration of the courtyard and the interior space is undoubtedly one of the novelist aspects of the hotel. As a theater hotel, it naturally maintains a close and harmonious connection with its overall environment.

The enclosed layout and the connected interior and exterior allow a more transparent boundary. Looking through the trees and the scroll-like floor-to-ceiling strip windows, the scenery appears like a poetic drama, with the greenery reflecting off the glass curtain walls, embodying the passage of time.

Chapter 08
Echoes of the Homeland, Contemporary Central Plains

The designer created an art wall resembling the color of Central Plains with handcrafted bricks from Jingdezhen. Paired with a reception desk made of cement hollow bricks, they are another modern paradigm of traditional techniques and materials.

In the hotel’s interior, the designer created a fresh experience that resonates with the spirit of the times using local elements in both freehand and fine brushwork styles. The contemporary designing language bridges traditional Eastern culture with a global context, offering a captivating new perspective.

When walking through the hotel, guests can find out that the designer expertly employs rammed earth, rusted iron panels, cement bricks, ceramic tiles, wood and brass together, interweaving these materials while leaving ample blank spaces to highlight the modern decorative elements, supporting the space elegantly and powerfully.

Unique Henan-Theater Hotel is immersed in the time flow of past and future, rooted in the local culture, space and humanities. Lead designer Eric W. Tsay started from the Central Plains elements and infused the space with a simple but refined aesthetic. His distinctive style represents a complementary success of artistic culture and space design, thus creating such a stage where great truths are presented in a simple way, and everything falls into place.

Project Name: Unique Henan-Theater Hotel
Project Location: Zhongmou, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
Project Area: 32,000㎡
Interior Design: Studio STAY
Lead Designer: Eric W. Tsay
Design Team: Wang Dingyu, Liu Jian, Gao Zheng, Zhu Qingya
Project Owner: Jianye Group
Jianye Team: Xia Shu, Wang Dan, Guo Guangyun
Copywriting: Qingge Media
Photographer: Qiu Xin
Lighting Brands: Art et Floritude, Lasvit, Xinteli
Tile Brands: Florim, Atlas Concorde, Kito, Nifu
Furniture Brands: Stellarworks, Meizai
Fabrics and Wallpaper Brands: Kvadrat, Pollack & Innovations
Carpet Brand: Jaipur
Goren Design: Nati Tunkelrot
Landscape Design: Coopers Hill
Architectural Design: HBA
Signage Design: Artless
Rammed Earth: Rammed Earth Research Laboratory, China Architecture University