Bangsheng Yang, the founder of Yang & Associates Group and hospitality designer based in Shenzhen, discusses the importance of rooting hospitality spaces in specific cultural contexts, the balance of global hotel brand identity and hyperlocal design, and how design is responding to travellers' changing habits.

How did you get your start in spatial design? What led you specifically to the hospitality sector?

BANGSHENG YANG: My journey to becoming a spatial designer was both serendipitous and inevitable. I have loved art since childhood, and I am particularly good at painting. My father, an art teacher, profoundly influenced me, instilling in me a keen interest and deep understanding of colour, composition, spatial arrangement and traditional Chinese culture. In 1995, after finishing my degree at the Central Institute of Arts and Crafts, I arrived in Shenzhen and joined the most influential decoration engineering company at the time, setting me on a completely new professional path. I started by participating in the designs of domestic five-star hotels, airports and shopping malls. Eventually, I established my own firm, focusing on interior design for upscale hotels both domestically and internationally. Throughout this journey, I've remained dedicated to the path I'm truly passionate about.

Bangsheng Yang.

Core to your design philosophy is: ‘culture and personality are the soul of hotel design’. Explain how this guides your approach.

For a hotel, culture isn't a general definition like the grand perspectives of ‘Eastern’ or ‘Western’ cultures. Instead, it's a concrete and even microscopic set of coordinates in time and space, such as the site’s natural environment, regional characteristics, urban fabric, community relationships, historical customs and more. In my nearly 30 years of professional experience, I've found that when we use these elements as a starting point to explore, refine and create a unique experience for the hotel, it achieves an unparalleled brand identity. Only by doing so can we better assist the hotel in its ongoing operations, bringing long-term stable investment returns to the owner, and providing tourists and the city with more engaging and enduring memories and spaces.

Photos: Wang Ting.

Cover and above: The site of the Hotel Indigo Nanjing Garden Expo is surrounded by mineral mines dating back over a millennium. The designer drew inspiration from this heritage, breathing new life into the old mines and raising awareness of the environment’s recovery.

Travel habits have changed from a fast to a slow pace for many, especially in the wake of the pandemic. How has this already and how is it still impacting hotel design?

During the pandemic, China's hotel market witnessed a surge in the trend of nearby travel and urban staycations. People were eager to quickly escape, relax and enjoy a brief holiday in the vicinity of their cities. Hotel design, therefore, needs to focus on crafting public spaces and relaxation areas that create open and socially conducive environments, facilitating the reconnection of individuals. In addition, we've noticed a growing population of digital nomads. Hotels have become both their temporary residences and workspaces. As a result, we've incorporated dedicated spaces within lobby bars and guest rooms to accommodate small meetings and business activities.

Global brands are seeking to immerse themselves more in the locality to provide guests with tailored, hyper-local hospitality experiences. How can spatial design support this?

Attention needs to be paid to the following three aspects. Firstly, it involves skillfully leveraging the inherent natural landscapes of the hotel. Maximizing the use of landscape in the layout and circulation will enhance the overall operations. Secondly, it involves deeply exploring the local culture, history and customs. This necessitates a thorough and nuanced insight into the city and community, creating a sense of wonder and discovery where experiencing a hotel is akin to encountering a city. Lastly, it entails centring the space around people, utilizing the collaborative interplay of scenes, dimensions, materials, and lighting to evoke a sense of tranquility, intimacy and warmth.

Photos: Jing Xufeng.

Borrowing from traditional Chinese gardening techniques, Yang & Associates Group’s design of the Hualexe Shanghai Changfeng Park connects the indoors with the surrounding nature.

How do you manage brand identity for major hotel groups with local identity?

This is something we often encounter in our practical work. Major hotel groups have established brand concepts and design standards. However, they are now placing more emphasis on incorporating local culture, moving away from the uniformity of typical chain hotels. This is a positive trend. For such projects, our communication tends to be more frequent and in-depth. We work on breaking through the existing brand standards while maintaining a balance. The focus is on presenting and interpreting local elements in a contemporary manner.

For example, in the design of Hotel Indigo Nanjing Garden Expo, we delved into the historical story of the nearby abandoned quarry to create a seamless ‘Dreamlike Mine Pit’ experience from the lobby to the guest rooms, with the mineral ore as the theme. This design concept resonated with Indigo's ‘Neighborhood Story’ brand culture.

Photos: Wang Ting.

The Qinhuangdao Marriott Resort draws a connection with the adjacent sea regardless of the room’s views of it. Materials, colours, lighting and art installations were used to forge an immersive experience.

Hotels were once threatened by platforms like Airbnb because they couldn’t compete with the flexibility of and local experience provided by staying in a home. However, hotels are having a resurgence because of new restrictions caused by such platforms and they are, for many, more convenient and amenity-rich. What role does design play in the renewal of the hotel sector?

 This can be considered an inevitable trend as market demand drives product reform. People have grown tired of the standardized experience offered by large hotels and are now seeking unique experiences characterized by being small, beautiful, design-driven and boutique in nature. In China, many of these homestays are situated in picturesque rural areas, even if they come with inconvenient transportation and limited services. However, as the initial novelty wears off, the hotel industry itself is undergoing transformation. Once personalized experiences have been fulfilled, people again start to yearn for the comprehensive facilities, standardized services, impeccable experiences and smart business solutions provided by large hotels.

The significant increase in business travellers after the pandemic has indeed fueled a renewed enthusiasm for hotels. From a design perspective, it's imperative for us to be more attentive to changes in guest preferences and consumer trends. Hospitality design should lead the way rather than merely follow trends.