01.4 the residence
PLAISIR DE VIVREThe fourth floor of The Swatch Art Peace Hotel hosts three large exclusive themed suites, a medium-sized suite and three rooms for its special guests. Together they comprise The Residence At The Swatch Art Peace Hotel, offering an exclusive opportunity to experience an artistic environment unlike any other.
The Peace Suite
This suite is based on the history and the future of the Peace Hotel South Building. It contrasts an interior shell evocative of the British colonial past with contemporary elements that suggest an ultra-modern future for the city of Shanghai. Spacious, light and clear, this very large suite offers an impressive view over The Bund. The walls are simple white molding and colonial woodwork, while the roof and floor are made from warm Chinese elm, as is the bathroom, which is placed like a nutshell in the room. To the left of the entrance is an elevated sleeping area with a king size double bed facing The Bund. To the right, a dining table and a cozy living island with a wet bar complete the 190 square-meter suite.
The Happiness Suite
This suite, which looks out over the Nanjing Road, The Bund and Pudong, presents an exploration of Chinese arts and handicrafts. The light is soft and the room is divided into white and gentle black. The main colors and materials are based on a study of fabric and paper, with large black shadows recalling Chinese calligraphy. At one end of the suite are the sitting room, with large wood custom furniture based on traditional Chinese benches, and an integrated bar and entertainment area. The walls in this area are covered with a modern paper garden made up of hundreds of leaves. The sleeping area, evocative of an elevated birdcage in rattan, is situated at the opposite end. The 250 square-meter Happiness Suite is the largest on the floor.
The Prosperity Suite
This space presents a mix of contemporary popular art and hints of The Swatch Art Peace Hotel’s past life. Looking over the Nanjing Road to the west, subdued light gives the suite a very soft feel, augmented with medium tones on the walls and dark wood floors. Each of the four rooms in the suite has a distinct function, underlined by a strong color identity. The living room is egg yolk yellow and serves as a space in which to generate art. The walls are lined with canvas rolls. At the center of the room is a large, low table with a number of artistic materials, to be used to create art on the walls. A living room and bar, a library and a balcony overlooking Nanjing Road complement the wonderful oval sleeping area, where guests may count a thousand sheep as they drift off into their dreams. The Prosperity Suite comprises a total of 235 square meters.
The Good Fortune Suite and the Cheerful, Wondrous and Joyful Rooms
The Good Fortune Suite, like the Cheerful, Wondrous and Joyful Rooms, is conceived as a high-end version of the artists’ quarters on the floors below. All four are designed to be simple artist lofts, with lots of light and a blend of utilitarian details and materials. Each room is divided into two zones. A large exposed bathroom has natural light and is finished in small off-white ceramic tiles, while the bedrooms have Chinese elm ceilings and floors with either white or exposed brick walls. All furniture is custom made and lacquered with leather seating or made from carved solid elm. With its 87 square-meter floor space, contemporary furniture, typical Shanghai brickwork and contrasting cabinets, shelves and dark elm floor, this exclusive space creates a post-industrial atmosphere.
Intimate and friendly, the Cheerful and Wondrous Rooms offer 40 square meters of artistic living facing the courtyard at the back of the house. The striking, minimalist design of the Joyful Room, also 40 square meters, is enhanced by its location at the front of the building, overlooking the Nanjing Road.
The furnishings and the art in the suites have been selected for their quality, their beauty and their ability to provoke thought and feeling at once – to reveal art as the ultimate luxury.
