Make Architects have incorporated a Qing dynasty temple into their designs for a new hotel and residential complex in China’s Chengdu.
Built during the age of China’s last imperial house – who ruled between 1644 to 1912 – the restored structure acts as the entrance to The Temple House, a freshly opened venture from Swire Hotels.
It is joined by two new buildings by Make, who embraced the idea of Siheyuan – an architectural style that translates to ‘courtyard surrounded by buildings on all four sides’.
‘We wanted the old and the new elements to work in harmony,’ says Katy Ghahremani, Make partner and lead architect on the project. ‘Key to the brief was that this should be a hotel that is both unique to Chengdu and unique in Chengdu.’
Two L-shaped, medium-rise structures face each other to form a courtyard in its middle, home to cafes, restaurants and other amenities. One of the buildings includes 100 hotel rooms while the other houses 42 apartments.
‘Taking into consideration the immediate context of the nearby Taikoo Li retail area, which also includes the thousand-year-old Daci Temple, we wanted to create an inviting and calm atmosphere at The Temple House, so that when you step into the courtyard you leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind.’
Make’s choice of materials – including timber, brick and stone – takes cues from Chengdu’s local architecture. The architects’ paid special attention to surface textures, giving the brick and reconstituted stone lintel facade a woven pattern inspired by Chengdu’s 2,000-year history of brocade production.
The Temple House, which is now open, is Make Architects’ second project for hotel group Swire Hotels following the Montpellier Chapter Hotel in Cheltenham, UK.
