Award-winning interior design studio LTW Designworks is pleased to unveil the designs for JW Marriott Qufu – a new luxury hotel in Qufu, China, the birthplace of renowned philosopher Confucius. Celebrating ancient heritage with modern elegance, LTW brings forth a timeless design that pays tribute to the deep-rooted ancient traditions and cultures of The Analects.
Sitting adjacent to the Confucius Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the two-storey JW Marriott Qufu stands as an emblem of the ancient city. Tastefully appointed with traditional Chinese features, the hotel’s distinctive exterior emulates structures from the ancient city, with architectural accents such as wood partitions and columns that blend seamlessly with its surroundings. Complementing the architecture, LTW aims to bring forth Confucian values through aesthetics inspired by the Six Arts, including music, rituals, and calligraphy.
Inspired by Confucius’ teachings, the Lobby, Lobby Lounge and the Tea House on the first floor replicate the scholar hall at Confucius Temple. Stepping into the Lobby, guests are met with a stone relief wall depicting tales of Confucian history. Graced with slate tiles, grey stone features, and bronze lattice with white ceramic ornaments, the Lobby emulates an outdoor courtyard. Sitting atop a raised stone pond at the lobby’s Atrium, a poetic allusion of “The Great Teacher” takes centre-stage: A statue of Confucius courteously kneels before a seven-metre-tall gingko tree art installation, created with intricately weaved metallic scriptures. Natural lighting saturates the Lobby under a glass roof in a dark timber, bronze-detailed ceiling, highlighting the centrepiece against a stoned Moon Gate – an architectural feature of traditional garden passageways – that partitions the Atrium and Lounge. Echoing this allusion is a striking gold accent wall, engraved with illustrations of falling gingko leaves, which stands behind the reception desk located on the left side of the lobby upon entrance. The gold accent wall, set against the neutral-toned lobby, intentionally highlights a dimension of space that draws on the ancient and modern, allowing guests to travel between the times.
