HUALUXE Xi'an Hi-Tech Zone by CCD

Xi'an is often called the birthplace of Chinese civilisation. Capital of the province of Shaanxi, its Ming-era city walls remain almost completely intact and it was the eastern starting point of the Silk Road. Xi'an is particularly famous for its Army of Terracotta Warriors, which have come to be an international symbol of the history of China and the city is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations. 
The city now has a population of almost 7.5 million, its economy mainly revolves around tourism but also has two industrial zones - the Xi'an Economic & Technological Development Zone and Xi'an Hi-tech Industries Development Zone - where telecommunications companies like the local Datang Telecom and Huawei are based. This is also the site of the HUALUXE Xi'an Hi-Tech Zone hotel designed by the award-winning studio Cheng Chung Design (CCD) from Hong Kong.
Leveraging the long, important history of Xi’an, the birthplace of 13 imperial dynasties, the architects have come up with a hotel complex that references the concepts of traditional Chinese architecture. They interpret the aesthetic of symmetry and order through modern approaches and subtly and elegantly incorporate the Chinese etiquette and philosophy into the hotel so that guests can feel immersed in the wisdom of Chinese civilisation.
As soon as you walk through the doors of the HUALUXE Xi'an Hi-Tech Zone you notice the reference to the ancient imperial palace. The hotel entrance is slightly secluded, keeping a low profile, overlooked by a mighty pine tree greeting guests. Dim lighting and subtle grey stone walls shield the hotel from the hustle and bustle of the city. Guests can experience the rows of silent pines, lush stands of bamboo and transparent glass bricks in the garden as they explore its intricate spatial scheme. This gives them the opportunity to build their inner peace without actually leaving the city.
The lobby is located behind this tranquil garden and boasts two magnificent doors on the sides. The detailing engraved into the doors are inspired by the bolts of the ancient city gates and the black wood grain is embellished with Chinese red and bronze. All of these elements are innovatively reminiscent of the cultural heritage of ancient Xi’an and are distinguished by an archaic, solemn impression. 
The architects from CCD play a lot with this reference to the past. In fact, guests looking around themselves can feel as if they were in an imperial palazzo, with splendid internal structures and an intriguing colour palette, a choice that runs through the whole hotel, including the rooms. The formal language chosen picks up on historical models, like the lobby dedicated to the tea ceremony where delicate censers, antique books and seals placed on the desks add the finishing touch. 
The new HUALUXE Xi'an Hi-Tech Zone by CCD demonstrates how to bring together tradition and future under one roof, and how to produce captivating storytelling that engages users in a subtle play of memories and future projections.

Christiane Bürklein

Project name: HUALUXE Xi’an Hi-Tech Zone
Interior design firm: CCD / Cheng Chung Design (HK) (www.ccd.com.hk)
Construction firm: Shenzhen Asiantime International Construction Co., Ltd.
Project type: Hotel
Project location: Xi’an, China
Project area: 41,000 m²
Completion time: August 2019
Photography: Zhu Hai, Qiu Xin