The Author’s Room Hotel, located in Aranya Jiulong Lake, Guangzhou, is a cultural hybrid space that integrates a bookstore, café, light dining, and accommodation. Surrounded by 1.67 km² of mountain forest and lake, the design blends urban vibrancy with natural serenity. Inspired by Guangzhou’s traditional Qi Lou architecture, the hotel adopts a “ground-floor public, upper-floor private” layout. The four-story building features a continuous colonnade structure that blurs the boundary between interior and exterior. A stepped design with stacked volumes reduces the building’s mass, while semi-outdoor courtyards introduce natural light and greenery.
The colonnade and courtyards create breathable spaces, with ground-floor commercial areas forming a public pedestrian zone and 18 river-view guestrooms above. Red fair-faced concrete, complemented by red copper panels, stands out in the landscape. The interior continues the warm aesthetic with wood-grain stone and red travertine. The design reinterprets traditional Guangzhou ornamental tiles, blending local craftsmanship with modern design, offering a space for connection, relaxation, and creativity.
