Located in West Dharma Village, Beijing, Dharma Hotel is favorably sited amidst mountains and trees. The 1,700 m2 hotel is elaborately planned in staggered layout on a 800 m2 site, enjoying magnificent views. The project is replanned on the parcel of the original residential building as a two-floor waterfront homestay hotel. The hotel lobby and guestrooms, which are connected by bridge, face each other across the water, allowing guests to fully experience the attractive natural environment while stepping into the site. A total of 24 guestrooms are offered, including waterfront rooms and terraced rooms. The design maximizes the great views around the site and makes the building an integral part of the environment.
Inspired by the building structure of Naxi people’s houses in Yunnan Province, the architectural design adopts solid stone structure at the ground floor to block moisture and strengthen the foundation, realizing a continuity between the buildings, site and village. The second floor adopts light and flexible wood structure to create natural and livable interior spaces. The traditional pitched roof adds to the low-key and generous hotel image. Terraces are designed as platforms for guests to chat, drink tea and enjoy the beautiful scenery within a natural setting. The infinity pool in the hotel courtyard makes a perfect place for the hot summer. At night, the lighting of the hotel building and that of the landscape corridor complement each other naturally, creating a pleasant holiday environment that makes people linger on. Inside the hotel, wide French windows in hotel rooms frame beautiful outdoor scenery, including the red bricks, blue water and green mountains into a live painting. Even in cold winter, the sun shines all over the room, fostering a warm and comfortable living environment. Some interior walls of the hotel are decorated with exposed stones, highlighting the uniqueness of the generous space and creating a low-profile yet vibrant place. The wood-stone combination makes the whole space more diversified and attractive. The elaborate design and placement of artworks inside the building reflect the taste of Oriental aesthetics. In such orderly spaces, people instantly become quiet and open-minded. The energy of lighting emanating from the hidden light trough leaves infinite space for people’s imagination. With babbling streams and beautiful mountain views, the hotel releases a peaceful, calming, comfortable and relaxing feeling from inside out, interpreting what is called extreme romance of wild luxury.
The overall form of the building rises and falls with that of the mountains, organically integrating with the context and fully reflecting the concept of organic architecture. The building is constructed by local stonemasons with stones collected from the surrounding areas. The building design fully reflects the characteristics of the local region and the site.
The landscape design, giving due respect to the existing landscape, primarily centers on renovation and softening the environment so that travelers can enjoy the tranquil and peaceful nature. The plain hotel form is well integrated into the surrounding environment; the unrestrained and generous layout, complete leisure facilities, luxurious and comfortable accommodation relax both the body and mind. Dharma Hotel is a perfect integration of the conflicting “wildness” and “luxury” and an expression of people's yearning for embracing nature. The high land level makes it a good place to watch the clouds, the sunrise and the sunset, smell the flowers, listen to forest winds and see the stars. It is an ideal destination for one to rest, relax and seclude from the bustling and hustling of cities.
Trees in a stream running across the site makes the natural landscape of the guestrooms, and presents changing views in different seasons. In lush summer, it is a rare resort for hiking in the mountains along streams; in colorful autumn, flowers bloom as quietly as they fall in the courtyard; in white winter, the red plum blossoms are set off by the white snow, such a gorgeous sight. This secluded mountain village provides a pure land for guests and the name of the village, Xidamo Village, is also associated with Zen. Legend has it that the twenty-eighth generation of Bodhidharma disciples of Shaolin Temple in Songshan traveled across the world. When passing through the Baihuashan area, they built temples, spread Buddhism, did good deeds, and cured illness of local people under the protection of Bodhidharma. To commemorate the virtues of Dharma, the mountain peak there is called Dharma Mountain. For this reason, the overall design not only echoes with the form of the village at the physical level, but also strives to achieve the initial intention of dialogue between the mind and nature at the spiritual level.
PROJECT NAME: Dharma Hotel
PROJECT LOCATION: Beijing
PROJECT SIZE: 1,700 m2
PROJECT YEAR: 2015 to 2021
PRINCIPAL ARCHITECTS: Sun dayong, Wan shuyan
PROJECT TEAM: Penda China
