Design Duo

Indonesia Design interviewed Neri&hu, the company in charge of designing Kimpton Da An Hotel. The Shanghai-based architectural design office was founded in 2004 by Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu with diverse, multilingual staff that handle clients from different parts of the globe.

What was the brief from IHG and/or the property owner during the initial meeting for this hotel project?

The brief was mostly programmatic and also functional, which means that the design and aesthetic considerations were pretty open for us. We wanted to be mindful of the district, and it was exciting to start from the very beginning, which included naming the hotel, branding, corporate identity and visual design.

How do Taipei and Taiwan contribute to the hotel’s design elements?

The tiled walls with curated openings that frame the garden outside are a nod to the ubiquitous tile work often found in the alleys of Taipei, providing a quiet backdrop. Intricate metalwork takes inspiration from the layers of craftsmanship found in window and façade details in the surrounding neighbourhood. The bathroom is one thing, especially the bathtubs where they are made of white tiles that are inspired by memories of Rossana’s childhood bathroom in Kaohsiung. Many patterns on the carpet, or artworks, are also locally inspired from streetscapes and metal grills found in the lanes in Taipei. The hotel’s logo is a sign that is inspired by the district of Da An.

What are your favourite details or design elements from Kimpton Da An Hotel and why?

The white-tiled bathroom, the wooden threshold between the sleeping area and the wet area, as well as the tatami– like floor material are some of the more interesting features in the hotel.

We understand this is the first Kimpton hotel in Asia. So, what are the distinctive differences comparing to other Kimpton designs?

Trying to capture something unique to this city and its people.