design et al are pleased to announce RTKL Associates Inc. won in the International Hotel & Property Awards 2015. Wutai Mountain Resort in China will compete for the Hotel 50-200 Rooms Award (Asia-Pacific).
The Wutai Mountain resort is composed of 200 rooms, a spa, convention centre, three restaurants, swimming pools, a helipad, and 34 private mountain villas. When RTKL set out to design a resort tucked away in the famed Wutai Mountains of central China, the goal was to create a modern luxury destination that complemented the hundreds of Buddhist temples in the region.
Planning began by dividing the site into three zones: “Ceremonial Life” for the resort, “Local Life” for the private villas, and “Natural Life” for the serene landscape that separates as well as ties the property together.
The project integrates eastern and western architectural principles to provide guests with a modern interpretation of Chinese architecture. Formal alignment and view orientation were used to highlight the natural beauty of the region’s landscape while maintaining the secluded luxury of a mountain retreat. The multi-tiered roof reflects the local culture and architecture while also paying homage to the 5 sacred mountain peaks in the region.
The hotel, while having modern aesthetic, still maintains a strong visual connection to its central China context and rustic mountain terrain.