The PuYu Hotel and Spa

Located in the dynamic and international city of Wuhan, The PuYu breaks the stereotype that the aesthetic of luxury demands a uniform look and feel, regardless of the country within which it is located. For its design, we looked for a sympathetic union between Chinese traditions and a modern approach to design that would be appreciated by the hotel’s international guests. The aim was to redefine luxury in China, and to make the 330 room five-star accommodation timeless and sustainable regardless of future trends.

Instead of ostentatious display or the functionality of check-in, guests step into a grand lobby that invites them into The PuYu’s calm pace but also makes it easy to transit in and out of the hotel. The spaces in the hotel work hand-in-hand with its service but permit quiet retreat when necessary.

In addition, the hotel’s three restaurants were an opportunity for us to define the hotel’s aesthetic in three very different ways. Soho, located on the ground floor overlooking an external courtyard garden exudes a fresh, all-day dining experience, smartly styled in light timber. The Damiano provides guests with a more formal European dining experience including an open kitchen finished with warm copper and wall panels of butterflied marble and hand-cast bronze tiles. For a link to local flavours and hospitality, the Jade Garden is where guests can come to enjoy a Chinese dining experience in private rooms seating 4 to 30 people.

An international outlook and local traditions in a city as dynamic and international as Wuhan, LAYAN wanted to give guests an experience that connected their modern, international outlook to local traditions in Wuhan. The result is sensitive interpretation of the art and design of China, especially the Hubei province.

Jade, bronze and ceramic objects in the rooms and open spaces of the hotel have been sought out in local markets and commissioned from workshops in the area. The art also bought or commissioned from Wuhan artists, shows wit, lightness of touch and serious engagement with Chinese traditions of painting. The art and the objects reward attention, even contemplation.

With The PuYu we were able to give our attention to every aspect of its architecture, interiors, furniture, lighting and landscape, which means that every room of the hotel has a rare unity and guests can move at a pace different from the world they have briefly stepped out of.

We are very pleased to see The PuYu realized so beautifully. For us it has been an opportunity to show our commitment to design that unites a modern outlook with sustainable local traditions. It is design focused on the human scale and on a very human quality of experience.

We looked for a sympathetic union between Chinese traditions and a modern approach to design that would be appreciated by the hotel’s international guests. We wanted to make sure The PuYu would age well and sustain its quality regardless of changes in fashion.
Wherever possible we used materials that were produced locally, recycled or which came from renewable sources. Local sources reduced the costs of transport and storage, boosted local business and industry and allowed us to take advantage of local design solutions.

This attention to quality, local tradition and sustainability reflects our genuine appreciation of modern and traditional ways but it also allowed us to maintain a high quality of design at a good price and steer away from a bland international style or the kitsch of ‘ethnic’ accessories.

Layan Design Group