The PuLi Hotel & Spa - Shanghai

To say that The PuLi offers something different for Shanghai – a city known for constantly reinventing itself – is definitely an understatement. Even its name sets the standard, as the characters for ‘PuLi’ mean precious uncarved jade, a gem that symbolises the hotel itself. The owners, Shanghai Cross Ocean Property Development, enlisted the creative talents of Melbourne-based Layan Design Group to establish a sumptuously Chinese property, but with a decidedly contemporary vibe. Johannes Hartfuss, Founder and Principal Designer, then brought on Nathan Thompson and Andrew Jaques with The Flaming Beacon for the lighting design, Pete Brundle with Nice Device for video installations, and Jaya Ibrahim for some custom furnishings. Working with his colleague, project designer Maria Garcia Arribas, Hartfuss created an urban resort that feels like a residence, “a place luxurious and elegant, yet simple and private, firmly grounded in modern China with references to its ancient past,” he explains. “It is a home away from home.”

The PuLi is sited on ChangDe Road, just down the block from where celebrated novelist Eileen Chang used to live. The lower levels look into the greenery of JingAn Park, while the upper levels offer city views including the majesty of recently restored JingAn Temple. Hartfuss wanted to mimic the park’s feel by landscaping elements typically found in resorts. These include two rows of bamboo and a reflecting pond that run the length of the hotel. The pond is even equipped with an electrical current generator to produce gentle ripples along the surface, as moving water is considered more auspicious than stagnant. “People sitting along the Long Bar facing the park can see a continuation of the greenery of the park in the reflection of the water,” Hartfuss explains. “Candles are floating through the water, bringing a sense of fantasy to the view. This focus on a few elements makes the project more simple, more modern, and allows us to somewhat disconnect the hotel from the rest of the busy city.”

Although The PuLi is technically a new high rise building, every effort has been made to break it down into a comfortable private dwelling. “As we were interested in developing a residential feel to the hotel, we did not want to waste much space on conventional hotel facilities,” Hartfuss confesses. Dispensing with the traditional notion of the reception and concierge desks, he instead lined the length of the ground floor with a long teak bar. Here, guests can chat with staff, check emails, enjoy drinks or grab breakfast on the go. In addition, a more intimate lounge with a 5m high fireplace is the heart of the hotel; all four walls are lined with Chinese and English language books for guests to browse on one of the plush sofas with a cup of tea. Throughout, grey bricks reminiscent of the building material used in traditional Shanghai shikumen houses remind guests where they are staying.

As The PuLi is primarily a business hotel, its guestrooms are spacious retreats where work and play merge into something characteristic of each visitor. Rooms start at 45m2 and suites top off at 130m2. Each room is designed with a small entry vestibule and a generous bathroom, with oversized sliding screen doors featuring translucent Jim Thompson silk floating between glass panels. When open, the bathroom flows into the rest of the space, making the room appear more homely and inviting. “We tried to maximise the available space while opening the bathroom entirely,” says Hartfuss. “All rooms have a proper dining table and desk – a combined piece of furniture to do both as if you were sitting at home – and two chairs. All rooms feature private seating arrangements of either a large daybed or two lounge chairs. The room feels somewhat furnished rather than planned – the cabinet and the vanity counters are both freestanding, for example.”

Similarly, the signature restaurant Jing’An is planned to adapt to a variety of functions and usages. “The restaurant caters for breakfast, lunch and formal dinners,” explains Hartfuss. “We zoned the area into a formal restaurant, a central library and bistro area, and a more relaxed lounge area. Although it is still one restaurant and can be operated as such, these three areas allow more flexibility for the operator.”
Hartfuss also employed local materials wherever possible to preserve a feeling of authenticity: dark timbers, cast bronze, air dried clay tiles, and local flamed and handmade stone finishes, most notably the quick drying ink stone on counters and vanity surfaces that look great both wet and dry. “We strongly believe in the use of materials that can age well and do not require constant maintenance, adding richness and substance to interior spaces,” he notes. Lighting, too, plays a critical role, and Hartfuss strove for a consistent warm honey glow with cozy floor lamps and wall sconces. One neat trick is the subtle bamboo forest light pattern on all the lobby floors that make waiting for the lift more interesting. “My favourite is the bronze panels on the fireplace in the club floor,” admits Hartfuss. “The finish is made from reproductions of Chinese bronze mirrors laid in a way that is reminiscent of an ancient Chinese warrior. It is very modern, very Chinese and has a luxurious texture and depth.” Sort of like The PuLi itself.

Rooms    229 guestrooms and suites
Dining    Jing’An signature restaurant
Drinking    Long Bar
Leisure    Anantara Spa, pool and gym
Facilities    Business centre