Like all W hotels and residences, the newly opened W Guangzhou in China (see our interview with its architect Rocco Yim) seduces the senses with fun, dynamic interiors and an inventive play of light. That same spirit translates readily into the design of Fei Ultralounge, conceived by Aoyama Nomura Design or A.N.D. for short, a Japanese firm that has worked on many well-known restaurants and hospitality projects in Japan and, increasingly, around the world.

According to the team at A.N.D., the original space was a large cubic area spanning 938sqm, with a glass curtain wall going up 18 metres on three sides.

While W Hotel’s core clientele are “the young”, A.N.D. share that the client’s brief was for a “sophisticated space where mature adults in their 30’s, 40’s and over could also enjoy”.

The enormous, cold glass curtain wall has been covered in a film of warm light. The colour and flicker rate of the film, made up of countless glass fibres, can be sensitively manipulated to envelop guests in changing light. The film also creates a facade that sparkles and beckons passers-by down the street.

The designers say that they have used a “carefully devised technique” to reflect and amplify the light. And in the day, the film becomes a translucent screen that helps to soften the sunlight pouring into the space.

Spatially, the insertion of horizontal floors and vertical walls create segmented, individual rooms of differing density and taste such as a VIP area and several private rooms, allowing guests to pick and choose a space that best suit their idea of fun.

Photos courtesy of Nacasa & Partners Inc.

Aoyama Nomura Design
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