Xing Design’s latest project is NEOBRIDGE that aims to be an experiment on the relationship between the hotel and the city. The “bridge” is the theme and the solution.
![](https://de51gn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/01_桥跨越空间_the_bridge_©苏圣亮-1024x1021.jpg)
Located at Caojiadu, Shanghai, with St. Michael’s Cathedral in the front and a residential garden facing Suzhou Creek at the back, the firm’s goal was to create a comfortable but dramatic space in between two high rises while keeping the building’s original massing and form unchanged.
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The challenges the team faced with the original structure was its low floor height and repressive basement. The design practice opened up the entire first floor to form a continuous vertical space with a bridge within the bridge theme. Underneath the bridge is an inner extension of the city; while across from the bridge is the hotel, at a distance from the buzz.
![](https://de51gn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/03_桥下_under_the_bridge-1024x768.jpg)
Spaces and materials are expressed based upon the story of the “bridge.” It is intended to create a waterfall facade impression in the concrete urban context. The curtain wall is by glass bricks, which balance the privacy and lightness.
![](https://de51gn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/09_桥上窥视_peek_at_the_bridge-1024x725.jpg)
The “waterfall” narrative is carried through both exterior and interior design, in which various materials and finishes expressed different conditions of movement: falling water, underwater, and at the bank. The water current is also implied within each room: the walls of bathrooms are made of handmade azure glazed tiles and watermark glass, reflecting the soft movement of the river onto the walls.
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Spatial configuration of rooms was also a challenge due to existing pipes and wires. In order to achieve maximum floor height, the original concrete is exposed. The bathrooms and air-conditioning pipelines are inserted as integral boxes. Most importantly, no louver can be found within the entire building as they are all concealed within the gaps between materials.
![](https://de51gn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/05_客房3guestroom_©苏圣亮-1024x745.jpg)
The mullion walls on the southern façade contain two operable windows which are specifically designed to maintain a complete water-falling appearance when opened. Other details in the rooms include openings on the balcony wall and two overlooking rooms above the bridge, as well as a triangular mirrored window expanding one’s visual experience of a tiny space.
![](https://de51gn.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/06_桥底波纹不锈钢暗示水下_underwater_metaphor-711x1024.jpg)
There are a few surprising set-ups in the hotel: a mirror periscope window in the darkest room reflecting the exterior landscape; little openings in the courtyards where guests can handshake with neighbors; strip windows people can peek at the bar and bridge.
Project details:
- Architects: XING DESIGN
- Area: 2,100m²
- Year of completion: 2020
- Photographs: Shengliang Su
- Manufacturers: MATZ FORM
- Lead architect: Xing Xiong
- Design team: Xing Xiong, Qichen Cao, Mo Chen, Sheng Lei, Qingyu Cai, Lei Zhang, Ziai Huang, Wenxuan Huang, Yilan Tao, Yuan Tao, Xuezi Li, Lu Yue (Visual), Yuchu Wang (Model)
- Engineering: Huayu Hua
- Heavy current engineering: Yan Luo
- Water supply and drainage design:Xueliang Li
- Decoration: Sang Ge, Zile Ye
- Client: Hotel Duxiana Shanghai
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