Design
Friday, 13 November 2009 04:11
Written by Cordelia O'Hare

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We caught up with Eric Ullmann of design firm Duncan Miller Ullmann to talk about the fabulous art deco interior of the Langham hotel...

It’s great to see a new hotel attempt to echo the grace and grandeur of Shanghai high society in the 1930s. How did you go about this?
We approach every interior with a signature design – unique, personal, and memorable. The Langham Yangtze Boutique Hotel represents the Paris of the East and captures the rich heritage of the property, the region, and the era through a true Boutique Experience.

Did you draw inspiration from the original Art Deco interiors that have survived in the area?
Yes, during the Art Deco movement in Europe and America, Shanghai evolved with its own unique advancement that makes Shanghai special. The enhanced journey, with its charm of 1930’s Shanghai and the fascination of Modern Pearl City, is a distinctive signature of elegance in design. Shanghai has many building master pieces from the era.  Apart from the famous ones on the bund, many can be found around people square. We have done some research on building facades, materials used, motif styles, etc.

How much does the new interior differ from the original interior of the hotel?  And what did the original interior look like?
We did not have a very good record of what the original interior looked like. However, we knew that this is a popular social spot among movie stars, singers, international business men. The heart of today’s Palm Court used to be the famous “spring dance floor” that had served many celebrities. We have kept the glamour of it but coated it with a modern flavor. The original hotel interiors is hard to compare to today’s design, considering the modern era of hotels and the upgrade from a 3 Star rating to a 5 Star rating. It was imperative however, to keep the soul of the property by capturing the essence of the Shanghai Experience.

With a huge lobby, five restaurants and a host of conference suites and meeting rooms, it must have been difficult to ensure both variety in your design and continuity. How did you face this challenge?
On the contrary, the lobby is very quaint and posses a residential feel with only three restaurants. It’s important within a Boutique Experience that you have a thread of consistency from the front door to the room, with a sense of excitement and wink of surprise.

The building, the old Yangtze Hotel, was designed by Li Pan. Did you feel any pressure to adhere to their exacting standards?
No pressure, simply a level of respect for the past and a high level of standard of 'quality' for the present and future.

Did you use any original techniques or materials for the interior?
Many details, patterns and the Art Deco concept remain in the hotel but were upgraded and evolved to fit with modern Shanghai, such as: the renewed mosaic vault above the lobby; the antique mirror at the entrance that resembles the old generation; or the decorations that represent Art Deco style. All the original materials for the interior were torn down because they looked tired, what we kept was the essence and the bones of the old Yangtze Hotel. As for the exterior, we simply powdered it up, provided a new set of exterior lighting design, and gave it the spot light it deserves.

What part of the building are you most proud of?
The Palm Court Tea Lounge greets the guest under the treasured skylight providing a graceful and harmonic arrival. From here, the guest will have a visual reference to all the property amenities, tempting one’s desires.

What kind of mood do you think the interior coveys to hotel guests?
A sense of place and familiarity of scale that represents the essence of Shanghai.

How do you feel the design differs from other hotels in the city?
The Langham Yangtze Boutique Hotel is a soulful journey provoking emotions.

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