Cresting ocean waves served as a blueprint for the arched forms found on the interior and exterior of this beachside hotel that GS Design has created in Sanya, China.
Located on the tropical island of Hainan, the Sumei Skyline Coast hotel was designed to reference its immediate environment.
The building's facade is punctuated by curved windows and balconies that suggest rolling waves, and is painted in a crisp shade of white to contrast the rich blues of the surrounding sea and sky.
"We worked to craft the space into a timely and sophisticated art piece with a long lifespan of usage by adopting this classic colour," explained Chinese architecture firm GS Design.
On the ground floor, a series of upside-down arches runs along the wooden decking adjoining the infinity pool.
More spots for swimming are found on the expansive roof terrace as well as in the first-floor lounge, where stepping stones lead over a curvy-edged indoor pool.
The light-filled room is otherwise dressed with a couple of potted plants and an array of sculptural white armchairs with matching side tables.
The curved shapes seen on Sumei Skyline Coast's exterior are echoed throughout its guest rooms, which are accessed via vaulted corridors.
Some rooms have circular skylights or huge round headboards that project over the beds. Others feature arched recesses accommodating cushioned bench seats or vanities.
All bathrooms come complete with a standalone tub, positioned next to the windows to give guests optimum views of the island beyond.
In keeping with the rest of the hotel, the guest rooms are finished completely in white with textural interest provided by tufted beige decorative cushions that are scattered over the soft furnishings.
GS Design was established in 2014 and is based in Shenzhen.
The studio's Sumei Skyline Coast project joins a number of hotels that have recently opened across China. Among them is BAN Villa, which was designed to look like a "floating village", and Grotto Retreat Xiyaotou, a hotel modelled on ancient cave dwellings.
The photography is by Ao Xiang.
Project credits:
Architecture, interiors and furnishing: GS Design
Design directors: Liangchao Li, Yuanman Huang
Design team: Chao Li, Zigeng Luo
Furnishing director: Yu Feng
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