Hotel Design - 003 | Guilin Yangshuo Sugarcane Alila Hotel

Aug. 16, 2025, 4:43 p.m. Travel

Project Name: Yangshuo ALILA Hotel
Location: Guangxi Yangshuo
Architectural Design: Dong Guo / Rectangular Building
Interior Design: Ju Bin / Horizontal Line Space Design
Renovation of Old Building Design: Ju Bin, Dong Guo
Site Design: Dong Guo, Ju Bin
Landscape Design: Ju Bin, Dong Guo
Architectural Design Team: He Bin, Wang Nan, Liu Chen, Zhu Fangzhou, Wang Jian, Xu Mengyao, Kong Xiangdong, Han Yue, Liu Zhiyong, Li Bai, Zhang Peng, Ma Xiaokai, Zhao Liangliang
Interior Design Team: Wei Jinjing, Wei Yaocheng, Nie Hongming, Zhang Luokai, Luo Wanyou, Zhou Wenjun
On-Site Architect: Zhao Liangliang, Zhang Peng / Rectangular Building, Li Yifang, Li Xihui / Horizontal Line Space Design
M&E Consultant: Lin Sen, Li Haijia, Wei Fulong, He Jiaorong, Gao Yu / Shenzhen Jia Shi Mechanical Design Engineering Co., Ltd
Lighting Consultant: Albert Martin Klaasen / Klaasen Lighting Design
Local Design Institute: Guilin Institute of Architectural Design
Cooperative Architect: Qin Jianming
Cooperative Architect: Yang Mu, Lu Yuanxin
Structural Design: Zheng Wenfu, Li Bo, Zhou Xianzhong
Electrical Design: Lin Desheng, Lu Xiaoyan, Deng Jing
Landscape Design: Qu Qianbo, Xiao Yingying
Owner: Yangshuo New Land Tourism Development Co., Ltd
Hotel Management: Alila Hotel & Resort
Structure: Frame Shear Wall Structure
Materials: Wood-Concrete, Concrete Blocks, Local Stone, Bamboo, White Textured Paint, Pebble Stone, Water-Wash Stone
Building Area: 16,000㎡
Design Time: 08/2013 – 10/2014
Construction Time: 10/2014 – 06/2017

Architecture / Landscape

Alila Yangshuo is located in a col near Li River in Yangshuo, Guangxi. Surrounded by picturesque natural landscape, the site locates in one of the most typical karst regions. An old sugar mill built in 1960s is beautifully preserved, with an industrial truss used for sugar cane transport. We envision industrial heritage as the representation of spirit of older generation. This became the premise of this project. Our main design strategies include the following.

Bird's-eye view, aerial view

Bird's-eye view, aerial view

Old and New | Old and New

On the site layout design, standard guest room building and villa are located on either side of the old sugar mill, which makes the old sugar mill and industrial truss occupy the central axis of the hotel complex. The sunken plaza and reflecting pond further accentuate the spiritual symbolism and significance of the old structure. In order to create a sense of consistency, instead of simply copying the old materiality and texture, we try to seek this nuance where we use more contemporary materials and construction methods while remaining the tinge and masonry structure of the Old. Hollow concrete block and wood-formed cast-in-place concrete serve to make the new volume more light and transparent visually without disturbing the existing order, and enhance natural lighting and ventilation at the same time. We keep the profile of new building as simple as possible to avoid unnecessary distraction to the old sugar mill caused by overly expressive geometry. Roof slope is consistent with the original one: after the completion of the hotel complex, its profile becomes a cluster of pitched roofs. We hope the New is progressively evolved and conveys a sophisticated consistency with the Old.

Flanked with newly-added suite building and villa, the old sugar mill and industrial truss occupy the central part of the hotel complex. The sunken plaza and reflecting pond further accentuate the spiritual symbolism and significance of the old structure. In order to create a sense of consistency, instead of simply copying the old materiality and texture, we try to seek this nuance where we use more contemporary materials and construction methods while remaining the tinge and masonry structure of the Old. Hollow concrete block and wood-formed cast-in-place concrete serve to make the new volume more light and transparent visually without disturbing the existing order, and enhance natural lighting and ventilation at the same time. We keep the profile of new building as simple as possible to avoid unnecessary distraction to the old sugar mill caused by overly expressive geometry. Roof slope is consistent with the original one: after the completion of the hotel complex, its profile becomes a cluster of pitched roofs. We hope the New is progressively evolved and conveys a sophisticated consistency with the Old.

Entrance to the hotel, hotel entrance

North facade of the main building

From the main building to the old building and villas

Sunken plaza

Reflecting pool

From the village to the hotel

Main building north facade

Main building north facade

'Cave' space

Promenade Experience

We view our site as a garden for guests to wander and ponder: old sugar mill, industrial truss, new volumes, reflecting pond and path define spaces of different kinds. Two circulation systems pass up and through the suite building: one being completely functional corridor system while the other serving as a free public walkway, connecting three important cave-like node spaces. The public walkway is the extension of the promenade experience on the ground level. Wandering around the resort hotel, guests experience the alternation of light and dark, change of framed landscape view, distance and elevation.

Hotel entrance

Public walkway

'Cave' space

'Cave' space

'Cave' space

'Cave' space

'Cave' space

'Cave' space

'Cave' space

'Cave' space

From the walkway to the backyard

Villa entrance and old building

From the old building group to the villas

Reflecting pool

Reflecting pool night lighting

Reflecting pool night lighting

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Sunken square

Sunken square and reflecting pool

Swimming pool and pier

Swimming pool and industrial truss

Swimming pool lighting

Man-made and Natural | Man-made and Natural

The site is surrounded by karst peaks, facing Li River to the south and a busy driveway to the north, and surrounded by mountains at near-vertical angles. We chose horizontal cross-sectional volumes as the exterior shape of the new building, aiming for a horizontal geometric volume and natural mountain forming a contrasting relationship. In addition, the public walkway is an artificialized and geometric version of pathway and cave carved into the karst mountain since ancient times. The 'caves' are carefully located so that they visually connect architectural space with natural mountain scape. Besides, the public walkway is artificialized and geometric version of pathway and cave carved into the karst mountain since ancient times. The 'caves' are carefully located so that they visually connectilie architectural space with natural mountain scape. Besides, the public walkway is artificialized and geometric version of pathway and cave carved into the karst mountain since ancient times. The 'caves' are carefully located so that they visually connectilie architectural space with natural mountain scape.