How to build the perfect hotel in China: Italian architect reveals his secrets to making a modern classic
When Piero Lissoni began designing The Middle House hotel in Shanghai, he sought a blend of Chinese and European styles and a balance between local culture and the contemporary
What should a modern hotel in China look like today? This is the question Italian architect Piero Lissoni posed for the design of The Middle House hotel in Shanghai.
“There is already a relatively clearly defined model of what works well in terms of circulation and room size,” the Milan-based designer points out.
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With luxury and comfort both givens, the project called for something special to stand out, especially with a spate of new luxury hotels opening in Shanghai this year, including the Ian Schrager Edition hotel, The Sukhothai Shanghai, and Bulgari Shanghai.
For Lissoni, this meant casting a fresh eye on the concept of luxury in China, avoiding obvious references, but still expressing opulence through custom-designed furnishings and handmade finishes that express classical Chinese style.
Lissoni, who founded his eponymous studio in 1986 and was inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame in New York in 2005, is known for his sleek, modernist style and a firm grasp of how to balance old and new, heritage and modern.
Recently, for example, he transformed a century-old former music conservatory in Amsterdam into the Conservatorium Hotel, working around strict heritage restrictions to find thoughtful ways of infusing it with contemporary touches and improved functionality.
