The Memory Lane of East Nanjing Road  

Hotel Social Sharing Concept – Reinvent Gathering

The reasons and means to travel have changed significantly from last decade, hotel design is not only expected to provide a safe transitional accommodation but diversified needs including leisure, family, fun and health. The traditional hotel configuration usually has a narrow corridor for circulation while all public spaces are grouped in certain levels and areas. The project design challenges the status quo and suggests new ways to reconfigure the spatial and program organization while travelers can reinvent their ways of travel, live and interact.

The project aims to provide an open space and platform for hotel guests to define their own gathering. The public space outside the rooms – the “Living Room” becomes life-oriented, functional, and satisfies various needs including work, leisure, play and café etc.  The flexible rooms layout caters for traveling with kids, parents and family friends, the “Living Room” provide much convenience and open space as well as enhanced interactive experience. Hotel should be more than just a comfortable bed and a room but a place to reinvent gathering and create unforgettable memory. The hotel is also equipped with an APP interface where customers can check in online and access to local products and souvenirs in addition to facilities of the hotel.  

As the first flagship hotel of Tujia Sweetome, the project is located on the 8/F to 11/F of one of the historical landmark buildings along East Nanjing Road. Building on top of the brand concept for Tujia: the Tujia Life Circle, the design is to create a series of harmonious yet vibrant public space and reinvent the idea of living for the hotel community. Based on Shanghai’s traditional ‘lane’ architecture concept and an old local movie ‘The House of 72 Tenants’, the project reinvents the family community hotel concept by creating public spaces that promote interaction among residents. Contrasting to the traditional hotel planning that have a narrow corridor to connect different rooms, the project design creates living rooms by increasing the width of the corridor in the public spaces. Catered for travelers from all walks of life that have specific needs, each of the five levels has its own theme: Reception Room, Dining Room, Living Room, Playroom and Workroom.

The Reception Room is connected to a balcony where there is a barbeque area and a kids sand pit. There is also a 24 HR café that serves snacks and drinks throughout the day, hoping to provide the feelings of ‘home’ to the guests upon their arrival. The hotel is also positioned as a family hotel and the different room types are designed to accommodate various modes of family travels including traveling with kids and parents as well as group family travels.