Nestled within the ancient woodlands of Chongzhou, China, the YongLi Red Tile Banquet Hotel is not a building you simply enter — it is one you discover. Conceived by Shanghai-based firm We&Arch as an “abstract settlement,” the complex layers monumental pitched roofs, intimate pavilions, and garden cloisters into a choreography of scale, silence, and celebration. For this quietly radical work, We&Arch has been awarded the LIV Architectural Design of the Year. We sat down with lead designer Yuanhua Zhang to explore the philosophy of a practice whose very name — We&Arch — frames architecture as a deeply human and collective act.
Your firm’s name means “Us and Architecture.” How did this personal connection influence the design of such a massive hotel like YongLi Red Tile Hotel?
The YongLi Red Tile Plaza is indeed a large and complex project. Particularly when we break the program down into a combination of different functions, the role of the team becomes especially critical. Different individuals, under the coordination of the lead architect, advance the project along a shared design direction—this has always been the collaborative working method of We&Arch.
You describe your core aesthetic as a balance of calmness and “delightful drama.” In the context of a banquet hotel—a space naturally filled with the “restlessness” of celebration—how did you use architecture to transition guests from the tranquility of the Chongzhou woods into the festive drama of a grand event?
It is the power of emotionally compelling spaces—of dramatic contrasts between different spatial conditions—that can captivate people. Architecture and space possess the ability to guide human emotion.
Rather than a traditional monolithic banquet restaurant, you chose an “abstract settlement” layout. Why did you choose this “village-style” layout?
To give the building a more human scale, we reveal that scale to the guest in layers, much like a village layout. This creates a sense of discovery and spatial intimacy.
The hotel features a nearly 100-meter-long walkway with no visible columns to hold it up. What feeling were you trying to create by making the roof look like it is floating?
To emphasize the connection and fluidity between interior and exterior space, and to express gravity through visual lightness—using weightlessness to describe weight.
You took the “double-eaved” roof style of ancient Chinese palaces and made it look modern and abstract. How do you mix traditional history with 21st-century design?
Geometry and proportion. All expressions related to vision and form can be traced back to geometry and proportion. Through distillation and abstraction, one can depict complexity with minimal means.
Your firm says it doesn’t follow “trends.” In a world where many buildings are designed just to look good on social media, how did you keep this project timeless?
When the two most fundamental dimensions of architecture—space and order—are embedded into a project, the work naturally returns to a timeless state of architectural essence.
You believe architecture should create “unforgettable memories.” When the party is over and the last guest leaves, what is the one thing you hope they remember most about the space?
The experience of walking through the space—and the changing scenery along each path.
Congratulations on the LIV Award! Having set such a high bar with the YongLi Red Tile Plaza, what is next for We&Arch? Are there any upcoming projects that you are excited to share?
In the next phase, we hope to realize new architecture that remains deeply rooted in place and culture.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to a student or a new designer who wants to follow in your footsteps and create award-winning architecture?
When everything seems to be going smoothly, learn to question established conventions and common wisdom.