In the heart of the metropolis of Chengdu City lies Chong De Li, a complex of historic buildings that have survived numerous disasters, the most recent of which being the Wen Chuan earthquake in 2008.

 

‘Li’ is an old word for narrow street, and when the merchant Wang Chongde bought the buildings 80 years ago, they collectively became known as Chong De Li.

 

The complex comprises three separate parts – Tanca, Ciguo and Zuxia, meaning tea house, private kitchen and hotel, respectively. Chong De Li’s owners wanted to revive an old Chinese tradition, namely that of meeting in salons to drink tea, discuss life and listen to cultural talks of various kinds. Chong De Li is, therefore, also designed for this purpose.

 

 

 

Interior designer and architect Wang Hai has renovated the buildings with the utmost respect for their original architecture, choosing furniture from Carl Hansen & Søn as a consistent element.

 

Zuxia lies in the heart of Chong De Li. The sophisticated boutique hotel, which has 12 rooms and is designed so that guests experience a classic Chengdu courtyard environment, commands a view of the narrow surrounding alleyways and streets. The rooms themselves, however, incorporate a Bauhaus style. While guests are made to feel that they are part of the pulsating metropolis, they simultaneously experience being on an island that offers tranquility, beauty and a high degree of comfort.

The original timber framing in the high-ceilinged Zuxia rooms has been preserved, offering a perfect dark contrast to the white-painted walls.

 

CH445 in red wine colored leather provides one of the few colorful elements in the rooms, while CH08 is used as a bedside table. 

 

Contrasts are also a feature of Ciguo – the private kitchen – where guests dine at a long table with a gray-black table top: The minimalist Bulthaup kitchen in steel with graphite gray elements has been adapted to the building’s original, exposed timber columns and suspended beams.

 

The other organic element is the Wishbone Chair, here in smoked oak with a seat of natural weave.

The warm glow of the wood coupled with the matt black of the paper cord provide the perfect contrast to the gray colour scheme.

 

As you would expect, Tanca – the tea house – is separated into different sections dictated by the building’s original architecture and segregation of the rooms. The gray slate or broad oak floorboards are also exposed and visible throughout.

 

The tables feature different woods and either take the form of long tables or two- to four-seater tables. In Tanca, Wang Hai has opted for classic and extremely comfortable CH37 and CH47 chairs throughout, both of which blend seamlessly with the surrounding interior.