Rosewood Sanya and Sanya Forum / Goettsch Partners

Architects: Goettsch Partners
Location: Sanya, China
Area: 151500.0 m2
Project Year: 2017
Photographs: Shen Zhonghai, Chen Ji, Owen Raggett

Associate Architect: Guangzhou Design Institute
Structural Engineer: RBS Architectural Engineering Design Associates
Mep Engineer: Parsons Brinckerhoff
Contractor: China State Construction Engineering (CSCEC)
Hotel Interior Designer: AB Concept
Apartment Interior Designer: Spaces
Forum Interior Designer: Citygroup
Lighting Designer: Project Lighting Design (PLD)
Landscape Architect: P Landscape
Curtain Wall Consultant: Suma Façade Consultants (SFC)
Client: Poly Real Estate (Group) Co., Ltd.

Text description provided by the architects. Located at the southern end of Hainan Island in the city of Sanya, China, the complex focuses on two conceptual design elements: a “lighthouse” for the hotel and serviced apartment tower and a complimentary “rock formation” for the convention center. The 46-story hotel and serviced apartment tower rise from a conceptual outcropping of rock to become an iconic symbol of Haitang Bay, its glowing beacon visible from any direction. A unique resort in the sky, the building is organized vertically, with the arrival sequence, landscape, and incorporation of water and views all considered integral to the guest experience.

The amenity-rich resort is purposely designed to be intimate and exclusive, offering a limited 246 generously sized rooms—all with ocean views and individual terraces, some with their own plunge pool. The 465 serviced apartments are located in the main tower, which sits immediately behind the low, linear bar of hotel rooms. The top of the tower features a multilevel club for the exclusive use of the apartment residents and culminates in the iconic “lighthouse beacon.” The Sanya Forum is designed as a premier convention facility, catering to national and international economic and political summits, as well as a variety of other meetings and special events.

The building’s rock-like mass is designed to be bold yet approachable. Once inside, a unique volume of space opens across multiple levels, with areas for meetings and formal ceremonies. The multifunctional building accommodates large events with an exhibition hall, a ballroom, and forum space that can serve formal state gatherings, as well as private weddings and parties. The building also provides a variety of other meeting spaces, along with a large VIP meeting, gathering and reception area at the top with an outdoor terrace overlooking the ocean. The design culminates in the private rooftop garden, with exclusive spaces juxtaposed against expansive ocean views.