Synthesizing old and new, the Langham Xintiandi and Andaz Shanghai hotels convey a fashionable sensibility that extends and enhances the character of the historic Xintiandi district.
The two hotels raise the standards for modern, high-rise buildings in historic urban districts with their innovative design, diverse program mix, and sensitive connection to the surrounding context. The development responds sensitively to the district’s low-rise architectural fabric and provides visitors with the full gamut of amenities expected by international travelers. The buildings respond to their context with expressive, stone-clad, patterned walls resembling two different Chinese screens and low-rise podiums that engage the neighborhood at the street level while the project’s powerful architectural forms embody the dynamism of modern-day cosmopolitan Shanghai.
The 362-room Langham Xintiandi caters to business travelers with meeting rooms, an atrium lounge, and dining options from around the globe, while the 309-room Andaz Shanghai appeals to leisure travelers through its resort-style amenities, such as a rooftop wedding chapel and nightclub.
Sited on adjacent parcels, the hotels’ curvilinear forms are oriented toward the pedestrian shopping district and each other. The massing of the two towers suggests a coupled relationship, inspired by the Shanghai Sisters, larger-than-life figures associated with the city’s lively nightlife in the 1920s. The curved walls and unconventional wall treatments create distinctive window configurations that produce a variety of city views.
Sustainable design features include a subterranean parking structure that allows for landscaping planted with native species, high-performance mechanical systems that reduce energy consumption, and water conservation initiatives that cut potable water used for irrigation by 50%.
