NEOBRIDGE Hotel

NEOBRIDGE Hotel
under the bridge. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN

NEOBRIDGE HOTEL

Xing Design

ARCHITECTS
Xing Design

LEAD ARCHITECT
Xing Xiong

DECORATION
Sang Ge, Zile Ye

HEAVY CURRENT ENGINEERING
Yan Luo

WATER SUPPLY AND DRAINAGE DESIGN
Xueliang Li

DESIGN TEAM
Xing Xiong, Qichen Cao, Mo Chen, Sheng Lei, Qingyu Cai, Lei Zhang, Ziai Huang, Wenxuan Huang, Yilan Tao, Yuan Tao, Xuezi Li, Lu Yue, Yuchu Wang

CLIENT
Hotel Duxiana Shanghai, Hotel Duxiana Shanghai

ENGINEERING
Huayu Hua

MANUFACTURERS
Matz Form

PHOTOGRAPHS
Shengliang Su

AREA
2100 m²

YEAR
2020

LOCATION
Shanghai, China

CATEGORY
Hotels, Renovation, Hotels Interiors

NEOBRIDGE is an experiment on the relationship between the hotel and the city. The “bridge” is the theme and the solution.

The Origin. The project is located at Caojiadu, Shanghai, with St. Michael’s Cathedral in the front and a residential garden facing Suzhou Creek in the back. Our goal is to create a comfortable but dramatic space in between two high rises while keeping the building’s original massing and form unchanged.

NEOBRIDGE Hotel
under the bridge. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
entrance. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN

The problems of the original structure are its low floor height and repressive basement. Hence, we opened up the entire first floor to form a continuous vertical space with a bridge in the bridge.

Underneath the bridge is an inner extension of the city; across from the bridge is the hotel, at a distance to the clamor.

NEOBRIDGE Hotel
guestroom. Image © Shengliang Su
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
underwater metaphor. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN

Walking across the bridge therefore becomes the visual center, a sense of ritual as well as the theme of the hotel.

The Riverbank and Waterfall. Spaces and materials are expressed based upon the story of “bridge.” It is intended to create a waterfall facade impression in the concrete urban context. The curtain wall is by glass bricks, which balance the privacy and lightness.

NEOBRIDGE Hotel
guestroom. Image © Shengliang Su
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
south guestroom. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN

“Waterfall” is carried through both exterior and interior design, in which various materials and finishes expressed different conditions of movement: falling water, underwater, and at the bank.

The water current is also implied within each room: the walls of bathrooms are made of handmade azure glazed tiles and watermark glass, reflecting the soft movement of the river onto the walls.

Drama, Practicism, and Construction. Solving the layout of rooms is a game with existing pipes and wires. In order to achieve maximum floor height, the original concrete is exposed nakedly.

NEOBRIDGE Hotel
guestroom. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
glass block facade interior. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
guestroom courtyard. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN

The bathrooms and air-conditioning pipelines are inserted as integral boxes. Most importantly, no louver can be found within the entire building as they all hide within the gaps between materials.

The mullion walls on the southern façade contain two operable windows which are specifically designed to maintain a complete water-falling appearance when opened.

Other details in the rooms include openings on the balcony wall and two overlooking rooms above the bridge, as well as a triangular mirrored window expanding one’s visual experience of a tiny space.

NEOBRIDGE Hotel
original lion statues is kept next to the stairs. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
periscope window. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
dinner under the bridge. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN

There are a few surprising set up in the hotel: a mirror periscope window in the darkest room reflecting the exterior landscape; little openings in the courtyards where can handshake with neighbors; strip windows people can peek at the bar and bridge, etc.

NEOBRIDGE Hotel
staircase. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
water texture glass. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
guestroom courtyard. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN


NEOBRIDGE Hotel
material detail. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
material detail. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN


NEOBRIDGE Hotel
entrance. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
handrail. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
concrete waterfull texture. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
material detail. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
underwater metaphor. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
entrance. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN


NEOBRIDGE Hotel
facade sunset. Image © Shengliang Su
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
underwater metaphor. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
guestroom facade. Image Courtesy of XING DESIGN


NEOBRIDGE Hotel
1F plan
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
typical floor plan


NEOBRIDGE Hotel
bay window detail
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
glass brick detail
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
bridge detail


NEOBRIDGE Hotel
facade construction GIF
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
model_facade


NEOBRIDGE Hotel
concept sketch
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
concept sketch


NEOBRIDGE Hotel
model_bridge space
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
model_lobby
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
model_guestroom beside the bridge
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
model_guestroom
NEOBRIDGE Hotel
model_special guestroom