Hotel Tuve in Hong Kong
Hotel Tuve in the north of Hong Kong island doesn’t need long to lure its visitors into its ancient primal ambience. Even just the entrance — an embellished steel entrance gate that leads to an arched hall with board-formed concrete walls — is an event and yet only a small taster of the rich diversity of environments that unfolds on the 32 floors of the hotel. The guest is whisked to the first floor lobby in fine timber-panelled lifts and immersed in an interior that is worlds apart from the charming chaos of Hong Kong. The outside world is revealed here only through shimmering cascades of daylight. Three differently perforated steel walls form a screen that transforms the lighting into a starry sky. The light reflections on the metal ceiling make the space appear larger and create an almost mystical atmosphere. A free-standing reception counter is the unmistakable centre of the action. The material simplicity of its board-formed concrete mass appears enhanced against the backdrop of the grey-veined Arabeskato marble floor. From here the lifts transport guests to the accommodations above. Rooms come in three different categories and share a tactile and sensitive use of materials; dark wooden floors and panelling in the Comfort class bedrooms and exposed concrete surfaces enriched with hand-painted golden crevices on the walls of the Deluxe and Premier rooms. Even the bathrooms are strikingly designed with natural stone on the floors and walls, cuboid sinks and a mirror with a brass surface that was oxidized prior to being polished in order to reflect the texture of the stone.
