Hua Ting Hotel Shanghai Te Whakahou i te Rohe o Roto by Nan Zheng

Hua Ting Hotel Shanghai Te Whakahou i te Rohe o Roto by Nan Zheng is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Parahi in Hoahoa Roto Whare me te Whakaaturanga Competition Category.

ParahiRoto Whare· 2026

Hua Ting Hotel Shanghai Te Whakahou i te Rohe o Roto

by Nan Zheng

A' Design Award Parahi Winner in Roto Whare Category

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Verified Award Winner
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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Hua Ting Hotel Shanghai Te Whakahou i te Rohe o Roto

Ko Hua Ting Hotel Shanghai he whakahoutanga o roto o tētahi hōtēra i tuwhera tuatahi i te tau 1983. Kua tiakina ngā āhuatanga e hono ana ki te tuakiri o te whare, tae atu ki te pakitara o te tēpu whakatau manuhiri, te wāhi tāpokopoko me te whakatakotoranga whāinga whānui. Kei te rūma whakatau manuhiri tētahi arawhata kōpikopiko ānau me ngā pūrail karaihe e kōhā mārie ana i te pō. I hurihia te puna whenua tāpokopoko hei wāhi hui marino me ngā ārai wehewehe e whakarato ana i te noho matatapu. Kua puritia te tae whero rongonui, ā, kua honoa ki ngā tae karamera mahana. He kōhatu i tangohia i te tau 1983 kua whaowhaoina ki te tau, ā, e whakaaturia ana hei mahi toi.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Parahi

Ko Hua Ting Hotel Shanghai Te Whakahou i te Rohe o Roto te toa o te A' Design Award Parahi, he whakaaetanga tino whai mana e hoatu ana ki ngā hoahoa kōeke e tohua ana mā te auaha, te mahi mōhio me te whakaaro hōhonu. Ko ngā toa Parahi he mahi pukenga e rite ana, he auaha mīharo, e whakatūturu ana i te wheako nui, te whakaaro me te mōhio-ā-ringa o ā rātou kaihoahoa. E tūmanakohia ana ko Hua Ting Hotel Shanghai Te Whakahou i te Rohe o Roto he taonga whakanuia, whakamīharotia, aroha nui, he ngaio, he auaha hoki. Ko tēnei hoahoa i toa i te Parahi e whakauru ana i ngā tikanga pai rawa i te toi, te pūtaiao, te hoahoa me te hangarau, ā, he tino mīharo ki ngā taipitopito. Ka whakatutuki a Hua Ting Hotel Shanghai Te Whakahou i te Rohe o Roto i ngā hiahia, ka pā ki ngā hiahia, ka whakaoho i ngā kare-ā-roto, ā, ka kume i te pākiki.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: The project is an interior renovation of the Hua Ting Hotel Towers Shanghai, which has been destined for distinction since its founding in 1983. As China’s first five-star hotel established through a Sino-foreign joint venture, it served as Shanghai’s inaugural gateway to the world during the early days of reform and opening-up.
Dimensions & Packaging: Every corner of the building, from the lobby to the executive lounge, narrates "the new story of old Hua Ting", honoring tradition while embracing the future. The lobby features Shanghai's grandeur and elegance. The original spiral staircase and escalators were replaced with a "dragon coiling" curved spiral staircase featuring glass handrails that glow softly at night. The sunken structure of the landscape pool was retained and repurposed into a tranquil negotiation area, with screen partitions offering both privacy and transparency. A high skylight allows sunlight and greenery to interplay beautifully.
Tags: Adaptive Preservation, Shanghai-Style Modernism, Hotel Renovation, Heritage Reimagined, Hua Ting
Production Technology: Key elements like the reception desk wall, the iconic staircase, the sunken space, and the functional layout—all integral to Hua Ting's identity—were meticulously preserved, bridging the past with the present.
Design Challenge: The 800 cramped guest rooms were redesigned into diverse options, catering to modern business and leisure needs with layouts optimized for contemporary hotel operations. Outdated facilities were replaced with human-centered details, such as minibars inspired by afternoon tea trays and curved shower enclosures. The decor combines Maillard caramel tones with Ancora Red, preserving Hua Ting's warmth while adding a modern touch.
Research: Honoring the Classic, Reimagining the Eaves" served as the design's foundation. Hua Ting's legacy lies in its Shanghai-style DNA—blending tradition with modernity, inclusivity with innovation. The team embraced "Inheriting the Classic, Continuing the Modern Canvas" as their guiding principle, striking a balance between preservation and innovation to merge the old Hua Ting's refined elegance with the grace of a new era.
Inspiration: In the renovation project, the design team embraced the guiding principle of honoring a classic era while continuing the modern narrative.Striking a thoughtful balance between preservation and innovation, the project reimagines gentlemanly charm through the lens of contemporary elegance.
Project Duration: The project started in May 2024 and finalized in October, 2025 in Shanghai, China.
Operation Flow: The signature red of Hua Ting, a color ingrained in collective memory, was retained. The building's original S-shaped structure, symbolizing "Spring" and the era of reform, was reinterpreted into the space's arc design, blending interior and exterior seamlessly. A stone removed in 1983 was preserved and engraved with "1983," transforming it into an artwork that marks the passage of time.