2 015 gold k e y AwArds best lobby upscAle "powerful, QuIet desIgN" wINNer tHe westIN cHoNgQINg lIberAtIoN sQuAre china Designer CCD/Cheng Chung Design (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong Bring the rugged beauty of the mountainous region surrounding this hotel inside. Use cool tones and local materials to play up the watery side of Chongqing. Take strong verticals and spectacular views to heighten the sense of atmosphere. The brief The insiDe scoop "The lobby employs the linear wall as the scene and the pillars as the frame, so the picture is available to each visitor in the lobby. The lobby makes each visitor as if in a real 'sky city'," says CCD chairman Joe Cheng. The team wanted to keep a primitive vibe in the space so that it felt more open air. Boulder-like accents replace more polished stone pieces along walkways. Matte and low-gloss finishes on blue and gray stone walls offer a rougher surface than gleaming marble. Organic-looking prints on the carpeting evoke footprints on a snowy mountain trail. 22 geniUs TiMe Using a spare palette of elements-delicate recessed lights, sharp lines between larger stone installations on the walls, and geometric furnishings-to convey the austere beauty of the landscape in a modulated way. Shading the space with the occasional darker piece-pebbly wall art or strips of black stone flooring-creates just enough contrast to offset the iciness of the lighter tones. Golden and blonde wood elements in the elevator and front desk zones add a hint of richness. boutiquedesign.com december 2015 The TAkeAWAy Immersion can be just as memorable as escapism. The multi-story space's aquatic feel is total sensory overload, not so much drowning as enveloping guests into the mists and rain that define the area's climate. Positioning the lighting not only at multiple levels but at various angles in the walls and ceiling suggests the play of sunlight on rocks. Horizontal and vertical bars of light on one wall translate the cragginess of a mountainside indoors. SOURCES oWner: James Gao; cLienT: Forebase Group; Designer: CCD/Cheng Chung Design (HK) Ltd.: Joe Cheng, chairman; Ken Whu, associate director; ArchiTecT: Tanghua Architects & Associates; pUrchAsing AgenT: Asian Time Design & Engineering Co.; generAL conTrAcTor: Asian Time Design & Engineering Co.; ArchiTecTUrAL MATeriALs: Asian Time Design & Engineering Co. Ltd.; ArT AnD Accessories: Asian Time Design & Engineering Co. Ltd.; cArpeTs AnD rUgs: Guangzhou Essence Carpet Manufacturing Co. Ltd.; fAbrics: M&T Material & Decoration Co. Ltd.; Yuan Zhi Cheng Home Textiles Co. Ltd.; fLooring: Same Brother Wood Manufacturing Co. Ltd.; fUrniTUre: Asian Time Design & Engineering Co. Ltd.; WALLcoVerings: Mengyi Industrial Co. Ltd. C O U R T E S Y O F W E S T I N C H O N G Q I N G L I B E R AT I O N S Q UA R E ( W E S T I N ) - kemper Hyershttp://www.boutiquedesign.com