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 LTW Designworks, the award-winning Singapore-based interior design studio, is delighted to unveil the interior design of Jumeirah Nanjing, the studio’s latest project in China, at the International Youth Olympic Cultural Centre designed by Zaha Hadid. Bringing a world-class portfolio of experience in bespoke hospitality design, LTW was commissioned to craft the interiors for the hotel’s public areas, guestrooms and suites, restaurants, lounges, banqueting and wellness facilities for this latest entrant to Asia’s luxury hotel market.

According to Lim Hong Lian, founder and principal partner of LTW: “Nanjing was the capital of China for six dynasties and boasts a long history serving as a cultural and literary centre, dating back to the 3rd century. We were inspired by the poetic narratives from this unique history, and have employed these as the base of the design concept, evoking a strong sense of place by reinterpreting Chinese literature with a modern twist. Zaha Hadid’s fluid and organic architecture gave us the opportunity to create an upscale, modern and refined interior that conveys a dynamic yet harmonious synergy between the exterior and interior, complimenting the distinct curvilinear features of the building.”

Inspired by a folktale about “the black dragon” seen by the Emperor through the misty air of Xuanwu Lake, the hotel’s Main Lobby features two key elements from this legendary tale: the peaceful, reflective quality of the lake and the contrasting dark intensity of the mythical creature. Juxtaposing light and dark, smooth and textured, the aura of the powerful mythical creature is translated in the soaring dragon-scale feature wall, set within an 8-storey high curved glass skylight. The grand lobby depicts scenes of a flowing river, with its central seating area composed of weaving islands on top of ripple-patterned marble flooring. Two imposing sculptures stand within the lobby space to draw the eye upwards, allowing guests to take in the dramatic height while giving scale and proportion to the lobby floor.

Tracing back to Nanjing’s history as an education and literary haven for scholars, the guestroom design is a comforting retreat for sophisticated international travellers. The “Four Treasures of Study” – brush, ink, paper and inkstone – were used as key inspirations within the rooms and suites. Oversized compositions of traditional wooden printing blocks were adapted into decorative screens; their asymmetrical brush-stroke patterns alluding to the flowing dragon motif. Sculptural lighting fixtures in the suites give consistency to the public area design, set amidst a predominantly neutral colour palette of warm timber flooring with abstract brown and white inset carpet, beige lacquered panels and grey upholstered furniture with black accents.