Where the Lights Come to Play | Vermilion Zhou Design Group unveils new Shanghai hotel

by Aisha Capulong

Enter a world of dazzling lights and find yourself lost in a sea of stars at this hotel by Chinese design titan, Vermilion Zhou Design Group

At the hands of Vermilion Zhou Design Group’s very own Vera Chu, it comes as no surprise that the property is basked in beautifully curated lights and luminesce worthy of accolades. The Crystal Orange Hotel near Shanghai’s beloved Zhongshan Park is a glittering spectacle that envelops its guests and visitors in a dreamy haze from their very first step on the property. A lavish metallic bronze covers the entire hotel, and is then warmly lit with a splendorous glow.

A metal mesh installation overhead greets you by the entrance, mimicking the brilliance of a thousand crystals. Through a revolving glass door is the spacious hotel lobby marked by a wall of clear quartz mirrored and illuminated from within. An arresting sight, the installation is undoubtedly the lobby area’s focal point with the mirrors creating an ‘infinite effect’ to make the space behind the reception counter feel boundless despite the dim ambience.

Walking through the gentle caress of lights, guests are able to indulge in an environs of flushed amber and mellow starlight, designed to blur the senses and rest the soul. At the Crystal Orange Hotel, a certain sensitivity can be felt: the visual noise and disturbance that we’re often subjected to in today’s world of screens and social media seem to melt away. It is as if, wondrously, external matters are filtered out through the crystalline motifs, immersing you into a calm that radiates from within.

Shrouded by an atmosphere similar to private social clubs, the property is unpretentiously elegant and reminiscent of luxurious whiskey bottles. The use of reflective surfaces complements the twinkling lights and further adds to the illusion of stars throughout hotel premises. Seen all around the Crystal Orange Hotel are sleek curves paired with angular or irregular silhouettes. The smooth contours of the walkway corridors, for example, are contrasted by hexagonal tiling and jagged art mirror pieces on the wall.

The property’s main highlight is its Executive Lounge with a chandelier that wraps around the entire bar counter, allowing guests to sit among the lights and feel like stars. Prominently complemented by rows of dark liquor bottles, the chandelier is a collection of vertical light rods that are made to refract onto one another through the numerous mirror panels hanging in parallel.

Stepping into the rooms and other inner spaces, a clean and minimalist design is adopted by Vermilion Zhou Design Group. The design atelier evidently focused on functionality, where hardly any space is left without purpose. Fully utilising every centimetre, the rooms are made of an array of compact zones that each pack a punch, which can be seen in the smallest details like the open-concept closet near the powder room that doubles as a comfy dressing nook.

While emanating a lucent radiance, the property is a serene affair not at all overwhelming, with lights gently penetrating through the crystal surfaces. This hotel near Shanghai’s Zhongshan Park is effortlessly relaxing, containing an elegance that comes from the purifying nature of light.

Project details
Creative Director｜Kuang Ming(Ray) Chou
Concept Design｜Ting Ho
Brand Positioning ｜Vermilion Zhou Design Group
Interior Design｜Garvin Hong, Jim Wang, Jingyi Xu, Bin Lu, Changsong Li, Weilong Tu, Bo Liu
Lighting Design｜Vera Chu
FF&E Design｜Sundi
Hotel Operations Goods Design Consultant｜Vermilion Zhou Design Group

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