Blossom Dreams Hotel by Co-Direction Design in China

The team from Co-Direction Design are behind the project for the Blossom Dreams Hotel in Yangshuo County, China. The result is an architecture that connects with its surroundings, an invitation to engage with nature.


Yangshuo is a popular tourist resort area near Guilin, Guangxi. The small township is known for its dramatic karst mountain landscape, winding rivers and striking scenery but it also offers laid back cafes and bars as well as lots of accommodation options. One of these is located in the eastern part of Yangshuo, in Jima Village. It's called Blossom Dreams Hotel and is designed by the young Chinese firm, Co-Direction Design, known for their innovative approach to design, attentive to both the context and the needs of the users.
They have also carried this over in their design of the Blossom Dreams Hotel. Framed by this splendid backdrop, it is based on the idea that people need some balance in their lives because they either tend to be too sedentary or over-active. For this reason, the hotel delivers a harmonious balance between attention to the interiors and connection with the outdoors.
Local materials were used to construct the fence of the hotel complex, underscoring the physical attachment to the site. Green bamboo marks the hotel entrance and its facade is defined by a lively but balanced alternation of openings that offer unique views of the surrounding landscape.
The large patio is a transition area between exterior and interior and features pathways paved with white stones, patches of green grass, and a reflective pool with a sunken resting area at the centre. The outdoor bar gives people the opportunity to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee under the roof overhang and soak up the engrossing atmosphere and impressive scenery. 
The lobby was designed to be as open as possible. Wood reigns throughout and is also used for the brise-soleils that guarantee natural ventilation of the common space, distinguished by a minimalist but never boring design style.
Of course, the best part of a holiday in the mountains is the way you can interact with nature and the windows in the rooms frame the constantly changing outdoor landscape, presenting a number of different dynamic images. Guests can sit back and relax, get in touch with their inner selves, soak up the peace and quiet as they watch the sunrise, the sunset and the flight of the birds, enjoying the light breeze and being entertained by the sounds of nature.
The interiors feature warmly coloured coverings, they're well-lit with large glazed doors and have been designed to underscore these ties with the local environment.
With the Blossom Dreams Hotel in Jima Village, the design team from Co-Direction Design have crafted an architectural project that combines attention to nature and the psychophysical wellbeing of the guests, using design solutions that respect and reflect the traditional range of materials here.

Christiane Bürklein

Interior design: Co-Direction Design (www.cdd-china.com)
Facade/landscape design: Co-Direction Design
Decoration design: Co-Direction Aesthetics
Year: November 2018
Location: Yangshuo County, Guangxi, China 
Photography: Jing Xufeng, Landscape images by Co-Direction Design