Current work with top international hotel brands such as Intercontinental Hotel Group, Hilton Worldwide, Howard Johnson and Hyatt International has placed BLVD as one of the most knowledgeable and creative Chinese design companies in the field.
HONG KONG – BLVD, one of China’s most predominant independent architecture, landscape and interior design companies, has recently completed the interior of Holiday Inn’s alpine ski resort in Changbai, China.
Headed by BLVD co-founder Honglei Liu, who is considered one of the most influential interior designers in China today, BLVD’s interior design team looked no further than the hotel’s spectacular Changbai Mountain backdrop when styling the interior of the 432,000 sq. ft. resort in Jilin province, bordering North Korea.
“Against the dramatic mountain backdrop, the alpine style resort boasts an unpretentious colour scheme that creates a cozy, intimate and warm feeling so guests can enjoy a sophisticated leisure experience”, says Honglei Liu. “For this project our designers worked to incorporate the natural environment with the interior design concept adopting uncomplicated and natural finishes, from wood paneled walls and columns to timber flooring and rough and polished stone. Timber and wicker furniture with leather and single tone upholstery and beautiful yet uncomplicated artwork completes the theme.”
The Holiday Inn Changbaishan project, which was completed in September 2012, in time for the start of the ski season in December, capitalizes on the immense natural beauty of its immediate surroundings.
The spacious open plan Main Entrance and Reception Lobby sit beneath a timber ceiling and enjoy a welcoming open fireplace as their focal point. A dramatic, gravity defying chimney seemingly floats down from the roof creates a magnet of welcoming warmth after a weary day of skiing on the snowy slopes.
A raised plinth finished in locally sourced dark stone around the fireplace, and an abundance of comfortable timber and wicker furniture create a place for guests to relax and unwind with a warm drink. Lantern-like suspended lamps hang from the timber beams, providing soft and cozy lighting to complete the warm and inviting ambience.
Flanking the Main Lobby on two sides, the Resort Centre and Lobby Bar mix wooden strip flooring and custom-designed deep pile carpets giving warmth underfoot, while timber paneled walls and shelving and concealed warm lighting cozily embrace these retreats from the cold outdoors. Additional mood lighting is generated from medieval-like circular chandeliers with steel frames and cylindrical glass lamp shades resembling candles.
With mesmerizing mountain views and a floor-to-ceiling window wall, the linear arrangement of the All Day Dining Restaurant offers a variety of seating options, again with wood-strip flooring, two-toned wood paneled walls and patterned wooden screens.
The cozy Ski Bar at the foot of one of the ski runs has an ‘island’ bar for socialising, with both bar stools and leather armchairs, enveloped by stone clad walls and a soaring wood framed ceiling.
Honglei Liu adds: “Whether you are a thrill seeker on the slopes, a romantic or simply someone who wants to unwind from today’s manic lifestyle, the Holiday Inn Changbaishan is designed as a refuge for the heart and soul against a breathtaking backdrop of the best that nature has to offer.”
Current work with top international hotel brands such as Intercontinental Hotel Group, Hilton Worldwide, Howard Johnson and Hyatt International has placed BLVD as one of the most knowledgeable and creative Chinese design companies in the field.
With experience from large scale urban planning to highly bespoke integrated hospitality design concepts, BLVD has recently become the proud recipient of some of the industry’s top international accolades, including ‘Best Luxury Hotel’ and ‘Best Luxury Public Space’ at the 2012 Hospitality Design Awards in New York and an award for Excellence in the Best Hotel Category at Hong Kong’s 2011 APIDA Awards.
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