DESIGN
and dedication to marry art deco with traditional Shanghai architecture and culture has produced something that ’ s too opulent . “ The aesthetic appreciation of the Chinese is more delicate , and more concerned on details ,” he explains , adding the that product is “ luxury yet not gaudy .”
THE DEVIL IN THE DETAILS There are numerous design aspects of Wanda Reign on the Bund that to the trained eye speak volumes of the effort and time taken to produce them .
Look up to the suspended ceiling in the lobby , which displays a classic art deco pattern in hand-sculpted bronze with multi-leveled folding .
Head up to the Chinese restaurant on the fifth level , which serves cuisines from the Jiangnan region , and eyes are drawn to the turquoise-colored wall installation that runs through to the ceiling . The symbolism – a lake meeting the skies in a collision of turquoise , inspired by a line from Song Dynasty poet Wang Yucheng – may be lost on many , but not the intricacy and uniqueness of the artwork , which interweaved hand-fired ceramics in the style of traditional Chinese tiles in the Jiangnan region .
Ning ’ s own favorite space is The Marc bar on the top floor , for its 270-degree views of the Bund , Huangpu River and the Pudong skyline . When nighttime falls , the restaurant becomes a nightclub and “ cutting edge ” takes on a new meaning with its melding of gothic / art deco / Shanghainese design with modern technology .
The ceiling design adopts Shanghai ' s city flower , the Shanghai magnolia , and molds it into a mysterious gothic architectural style . The overall sculpting was realized via 3-D printing technology . Many exotic LED sources of illumination were installed in the meticulously typeset smoked jade flooring , creating different moods and music via an intelligent control system .
This opulent bath includes a goldclad tub with views of the river and city .
The bedroom in a Grand Deluxe guestroom blends art deco glamour with modernity .
50 hotelsmag . com January / February 2017