Introduction
The Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort (浙江 湖州 喜来登 温泉 度假 酒店, also known as Moon Hotel is a spacious luxury resort is located in Huzhou, China. It has nicknames such as “Horseshoe Hotel” and “Doughnut Hotel”. It was designed by architect Ma Yansong by MAD Architects and built by Shanghai Feizhou Group.
It is the first five star hotel in mainland China for the prosperous and influential “business class”, oozing wealth and extravagance.
Location
The horseshoe-shaped hotel is located in the city of Hozhou, south of Taihu Lake, in the northern part of Zhejiang Province, between Nanjing and Shanghai, China. The Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort is about an hour’s drive from Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH ) in Hangzhou.
Hozhou, whose foundation dates back over 2,300 years, is known as the ” Silk City “, one of the four major growing cities. It is also the birthplace of tea culture. Located 7 º north of the Tropic of Cancer, the city has a humid subtropical monsoon climate and an average annual temperature between 12-16 ° C.
Concept
The design is based on the idea of unity and infinity. At night, the ring, which is a complete oval attached at the bottom by two underground levels, reflected in the lake and looks like a full moon glow.
Its designer, architect Ma Yansong states that the shape is inspired by traditional bridges represented in ancient Chinese paintings : “… Throughout Chinese history, people have always sought a harmonious relationship with nature and this has become an important part of Chinese culture and tradition. Huzhou is a famous place for traditional ink paintings and splendid views of the water and the arch bridge is one of the key elements of traditional architecture… ”
The Moon Hotel, as it is also known, uses its location through direct integration of architecture and nature. The circular building reflected in water creates a surreal picture, a connection between the real and the spooky. Under the sunlight and the reflection of the lake, the curved shape of the building is crystal clear. When night falls, the whole building glows, lighting both inside as on the outside. The soft light wraps around the water and the hotel, and the result resembles the bright moon rising over the lake, a classical and modern mixture through reflection.
The Hotel Luna emphasizes the harmony of man with nature, trying to enhance the sensual and spiritual experiences of visitors, trying to become a new symbol of the relationship between humanity and nature.
Spaces
The hotel is actually a complete oval, two underground levels connect the visible shape of a horseshoe.
The annular shape of the hotel allows all rooms can have good views and natural light from all directions. The public space in an arc at the top with open views, acts as a “place in the air,” creating the sensation of floating on the lake, dedicated to large-scale activities.
Rooms
The hotel, in its 27 floors offers 321 rooms, including 44 suites and 39 villas, all with private balconies. The bathrooms are covered in marble, including a sunken tub and oversized shower with rainforest shower.
Inside buildings forming the complex there is a separate ” spa town ” that has 8 villas, 40 hot springs and a dock for yachts. The resort has a club for guests, a ballroom and a variety of restaurants and bars.
Recreational Spaces
The many facilities the hotel offers a modern fitness center that includes high-tech machines, cardiovascular equipment, stretching areas, indoor and outdoor.
Spa facilities include a steam room, saunas and a hydrotherapy tub in each locker room.
Business facilities and events
The resort offers 16 meeting spaces, equipped with the latest technology, from high-speed internet, translation services, secretarial services, ATM, cell phone rental and any other requirements necessary for national and international transactions.
The rooms, the largest with 902 m2 (The Grand Ballroom), can also be used for different events, meetings or conferences. An island of 1.600m2 is dedicated to wedding receptions. In the 22nd floor several private meeting rooms are located and in 27, the multipurpose room offers a splendid view of Taihu Lake.
Structure and materials
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The ring clearly poses a major challenge for structural design. Finally the project would be developed as a core of reinforced concrete forming tube, high capacity, light weight and excellent resistance to earthquakes. Implemented trying, at the same time to reduce as much as possible environmental contamination during construction. The Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort has a matching pair of 27-story towers that connect at higher levels to form a gently curved arc across the water. In the underground portion is attached by two levels of basements.
The mesh structure of curved surface makes it more solid building strength and this is reinforced by the steel structure shaped bridge connecting the double cone structure on the top floor. The facade of the hotel is covered with layers of white aluminum rings and fine textured glass, producing the illusion and drama of the scale of the building.
Other materials
The resort is richly decorated inside, its walls covered with different types of Jade and ceiling covered with European glass lamps are big waves formed with 20,000 Swarovski crystals lobby while the floor is paved with Afghan Jade and White Eye of Trigre Brazil.
The luxurious resort features porches and ceilings inlaid with Citrine, a type of jade symbolizing wealth, while the reddish type cryolite or Silk Road is used as decoration on some fronts and on the desks of the janitors.
Although the decor is unashamedly extravagant resort, some efforts were made to reduce the power consumption of the project.
Facades
Unlike conventional facades created with glass curtain wall, frequently in the design of hotels, the Sheraton Huzhou not require the installation of a large number of air conditioning units. The shape of the building gives shade to all balconies and promotes natural ventilation. The ultra white glass allows natural light in all rooms, eliminating the need for additional artificial lighting during the day. This saves energy and creates a pleasant atmosphere.
During the evening light LED accessories enliven the facade round, showing textures and colorful patterns that are reflected in the water surface.
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