Above the clouds of Kunming Henglong Plaza, the Grand Hyatt Kunming takes "Three-dimensional Yunnan Landscape" as its design theme and transforms the natural and cultural images of Yunnan such as terraced fields, stone forests and copper mines into tangible spatial language through customized stainless steel decorations. The hotel takes 304 stainless steel as its base and combines technologies such as mirror polishing, etching, and vacuum titanium plating to create a functional and artistic living scene, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the regional cultural warmth of the "Spring City" in modern industrial aesthetics.
I. Design Concept: Deconstruct the symbols of Yunnan and reconstruct the "Cloud Secret Realm"
The designer takes "Mountain, Water, Copper and Forest" as the core concept, abstracting elements such as the three-dimensional landforms of Yunnan, the copper mining industry and the totems of ethnic minorities into geometric lines. Through the reflection, penetration and three-dimensional shaping characteristics of stainless steel, a visual narrative of "coexistence of nature and metal" is constructed in the space. For example:
The exterior of the building: The curtain wall is made of titanium gold stainless steel composite panels. Through a gradient titanium plating process, it simulates the gilded texture of the plateau sunlight. 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 sun pattern of the Yi ethnic group, and the door frame is embedded with LED light strips. At night, it projects a dynamic effect of "light and shadow passing through the forest", which is in line with the ecological characteristics of Yunnan as a "kingdom of flora and fauna".
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 "terraced field installation" made of mirror-finish stainless steel honeycomb panels, which transforms the layered form of the Yuanyang Terraced fields into a three-dimensional relief through laser cutting and seamless welding technology. The bottom of the device is embedded with fogging glass, which, in combination with the bottom lighting, creates an immersive scene of "clouds and mist flowing over the metal terraced fields".
Lobby sculpture: The "Stone Forest Image" 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 stone forest is "growing" in the play of light and shadow.
2. Spatial Reconstruction: The Balance between Transparency and Privacy
Public corridor screen: Titanium stainless steel hollowed-out partition, inspired by "tropical rainforest", laser-engraved elements such as banana leaves and palm trees, 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 atmosphere of the plateau sky.
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 murals, inspired by the unique "Dongba script" of Yunnan, transform character symbols into abstract geometric shapes, and are paired with a gradient titanium gold coating, presenting the flow trajectory of culture as the elevator opens and closes.
Riverside view guest room wardrobe: The stainless steel door panel is etched with peacock feather patterns, paired with brushed rose gold frames. When the cabinet door is opened, the peacock feathers and the shimmering waves of Dianchi Lake outside the window echo each other, enhancing the immersive feeling of "living by the lake".
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 Bai ethnic tie-dye patterns, allowing guests to experience the warmth of regional culture up close while dining.
V. Conclusion: Metal Lines of Poetry Above the Clouds
The Grand Hyatt Kunming has transformed the three-dimensional landforms, copper mining industry and ethnic minority cultures of Yunnan into a tangible spatial poem through customized stainless steel decoration. Here, stainless steel is no longer a cold industrial material but has become a medium connecting nature and the city, tradition and modernity. Passengers can wander through it, catching a glimpse of the shimmering waves of Dianchi Lake in the mirror-finished stainless steel ceilings, and tracing the history of Dongba culture in the etched patterns. Eventually, they can find a poetic abode in the eternal texture of metal in the Spring City.
project archives
project Name: Grand Hyatt Kunming
Design units: Shanghai MQ Studio, Tokyo Nao Architects
Main materials: 304 stainless steel, titanium gold coating, etching process, mirror polishing
Completion time: August 2024
Special techniques: Honeycomb board composite structure, laser cutting, seamless welding
