At the confluence of the Yangtze River and Nanshan Mountain, the Sheraton Chongqing Hotel stands proudly on Nanbin Road with the landmark image of "Golden Twin Towers". Its architectural language not only pays tribute to the mountain city's topography but also fuses modern industrial aesthetics and the essence of Ba-Yu culture into a flowing spatial poem through customized stainless steel decoration. The following analyzes how stainless steel reconstructs the artistic narrative and sensory experience of hotels from three dimensions: design concept, scene application, and material craftsmanship.
I. Design Concept: Deconstruct Mountains and Waters, Reconstruct the "Golden Age"
The designer, with the core concept of "Gilded Mountain City", abstracted the three-dimensional terrain of Chongqing and the grand image of the confluence of the two rivers into geometric lines. Through technical means such as mirror reflection of stainless steel, etching process, and three-dimensional modeling, a visual narrative of "coexistence of metal and nature" was constructed in the space. For example:
The exterior of the building: The curtain wall of the Twin Towers is made of titanium-gold stainless steel composite panels. Through a gradient titanium plating process, it simulates the gilded texture of the sunset over the Yangtze River. Combined with three-dimensional curved panel technology, it creates a smooth curved surface shape, making the building present a "flowing gold foil" effect under different lighting conditions.
The entrance to the lobby features a double-opening stainless steel door with mortise and tenon joints. The surface is etched with the silhouette of a stilt house in Ba and Yu styles. LED light strips are embedded in the door frame, projecting a dynamic effect of "light and shadow passing through the building" at night, which is in line with the city's characteristic as a "magical mountain city".
Ii. Eight Major Application Scenarios of Stainless Steel Decoration
1. Welcoming Ceremony Preface: A Dialogue between Metal and Nature
The front desk background wall: A "Confluence of Two Rivers" installation made of mirror-finish stainless steel honeycomb panels, through laser cutting and seamless welding technology, transforms the confluence form of the Yangtze River and the Jialing River into a three-dimensional relief. The bottom of the device is embedded with fogging glass, which, in combination with the bottom lighting, creates an immersive scene of "river water flooding the metal riverbed".
Lobby sculpture: The "Mountain City Steps" installation forged from stainless steel, composed of dozens of irregular mirror-finished stainless steel plates stacked on top of each other, creates a visual effect of spiral ascent through Angle adjustment. When tourists view the sculpture from different angles, it reflects the dynamic images of the surrounding environment, as if the steps are "growing" in the light and shadow.
2. Spatial Reconstruction: The Balance between Transparency and Privacy
Public corridor screen: Titanium stainless steel latticed partition, inspired by "mountain city walkways", laser-engraved elements such as stilt houses and 黄桷树, which not only divide the space but also maintain visual transparency. Hidden LED light strips are embedded at the bottom of the screen, which project soft ground light at night to guide the movement of passengers.
The partition of the banquet hall: Matte rose gold stainless steel grilles, combined with wired glass, create a banquet environment where the real and the virtual blend together. The grille spacing has been precisely calculated to ensure privacy without affecting the penetration of natural light, making it suitable for small wedding banquets and business meetings.
3. Detail Aesthetics: The unity of function and art
Ceiling curvature: The top of the banquet hall is made of 304 stainless steel curved plates. Through three-dimensional curved plate technology, a smooth dome shape is created. The surface is treated with nano-spraying to form a matte texture, simulating the hazy and misty atmosphere of a mountain city.
Skirting board: Stainless steel U-shaped groove design, with built-in hidden LED lights, forms a soft ground light band at night, which not only enhances the space's illuminance but also avoids the dust accumulation problem of traditional skirting boards.
Service counter cabinet body: Stainless steel cabinet body + rock plate countertop. The cabinet door adopts an invisible handle design and is equipped with an embedded intelligent sensing system to achieve "contactless service".
4. Art Installation: Cultural Translation of Metal
Elevator hall art wall: Stainless steel etched mural, inspired by the unique "Chuanjiang Chant" of Chongqing, transforms the rhythm of the chant into abstract geometric shapes, combined with a gradient titanium gold coating, presenting the flow trajectory of sound as the elevator opens and closes.
River-view guest room wardrobe: The stainless steel door panel is etched with the water patterns of the Yangtze River, paired with a brushed rose gold frame. When the cabinet door is opened, the water patterns and the river view complement each other, enhancing the immersive feeling of "living by the river".
Iii. Material Language: The "Seventy-Two Transformations" of Stainless Steel
The hotel is highly meticulous in the selection of stainless steel materials and the processing techniques.
Surface treatment
Mirror polishing: Used in public areas such as lobbies and elevators to enhance the sense of spatial transparency.
Wire drawing process: Used for guest room doors, cabinet bodies, etc., enhancing touch and durability;
Vacuum titanium plating: Achieving a variety of colors such as titanium gold, rose gold, and bronze, to meet the style requirements of different regions.
Structural innovation
Honeycomb panel composite structure: It reduces weight while ensuring strength and is suitable for large curtain walls and ceilings.
Laser welding + seamless grinding: Eliminate the splicing marks of traditional stainless steel products, presenting the ultimate craftsmanship aesthetics.
Iv. Travel and Residence Experience: Metallic Warmth and Humanistic Care
Stainless steel decoration is not only a visual symbol but also carries a profound consideration of the passenger experience:
Acoustic optimization: The composite wall surface of stainless steel perforated plates and sound-absorbing cotton effectively reduces noise in public areas such as lobbies and corridors.
Intelligent interaction: The stainless steel touch panel in the guest room integrates the control of lighting, air conditioning and curtains, and seamlessly connects with the hotel's intelligent system.
Emotional resonance: The stainless steel tableware in the restaurant is engraved with the patterns of Ba Yu folk houses, allowing guests to experience the warmth of regional culture up close while dining.
V. Conclusion: Metal Lines of Poetry Above the Clouds
The Sheraton Chongqing Hotel has transformed the three-dimensional landforms of the mountain city, the surging momentum of the two rivers and the profound heritage of Ba-Yu culture into a tangible and perceptible spatial language through customized stainless steel decoration. Here, stainless steel is no longer a cold industrial material but has become a medium connecting tradition and modernity, nature and the city. Passengers wander through it, able to catch a glimpse of the rippling waves of the Yangtze River in the mirror-finished stainless steel ceilings, and trace the history of the Sichuan River's choral songs in the etched patterns. Eventually, they find the poetic dwelling that belongs to Chongqing in the eternal texture of the metal.
project archives
project Name: Sheraton Chongqing Hotel
Design Unit: XX Design Office
Main materials: 304 stainless steel, titanium gold coating, etching process, mirror polishing
Completion time: September 2011
Awards: "Best Metal Decoration Application Award" at the 2022 Asia Pacific Hotel Design Awards
