The 180 room, seven storey Hotel Soul is located in the centre of Suzhou, a historic city situated on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and shores of Lake Taihu and has some of the most famous gardens in China.
The design concept for the hotel has evolved from an initial contemporary boutique approach to include some of the more traditional Suzhou elements. In the renovation design, Woodhead sought to capture some of Suzhou’s cultural distinctiveness, re-interpret the forms, adopt patterns in the contemporary ways and apply these concepts to the architecture and interiors for the building.
Overlaid on this cultural base, the design is a fashionable and indulgent sensibility that adds a high quality boutique and whimsical element to the schemes for the public spaces and guest rooms.
Suzhou enjoys international acclaim for its beautiful stone bridges, exquisite gardens and is the centre of traditional silk making. The hotel’s design incorporates contemporary interpretations of many of these elements including the local poetry, ancient script and the famous Suzhou gardens. The interiors evoke a sense of the spirit, the heart and the journey that symbolises this historic region.
Awards:
- Entry Work for Hotel Concept Category, CIID & International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers 2007
