For those in search of an uncommon experience

In Taipei, Hilton has opened the doors to its first Tapestry Collection hotel in the Asia-Pacific region

Photography: Courtesy of Hotel Resonance Taipei, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

Both its 14th brand and its second collection brand, Hilton’s Tapestry Collection is a gathering of original, upscale hotels that cater to guests seeking an uncommon experience. In designing Hotel Resonance Taipei, Hilton’s first Tapestry Collection hotel in the region, CCD / Cheng Chung Design combined the brand’s international, diverse and upscale characteristics with Taipei’s humanistic atmosphere and history.

Set in Happy Village in Taipei’s Zhongzheng District, native camphor trees provided a distinct point of inspiration for CCD. As it turns out, celluoid — a transparent flammable plastic made in sheets from camphor and nitrocellulose, and formerly used for cinematographic film — was a key product of the area. At one point, Taiwan provided 80 per cent of this raw film material worldwide, making it critical for the prosperous Hollywood movie industry of the 1930s and ’40s.

Timber flooring throughout the hotel’s lobby area and lounge immediately set it apart from more traditional hotels with stone or marble floors

This fascinating aspect of history became the inspiration for the hotel design: CCD crafted a spatial narrative dubbed ‘Film Box’, conducting in-depth research and analysis on the historical context of the site, the brand’s positioning, and the implication of the hotel’s name. Like a movie reel, the building was interpreted as recording stories, laughter, and unforgettable moments.

A vibrant colour palette spends rays of sunshine throughout the lobby, where the floor is also distinguished by being timber rather than stone. The 8m-high space echoes the site’s historic past when it was the setting for a warehouse; while the utilisation of timber and metal resonates with the camphor trees and iron plants in the neighbourhood.

Large French windows connect the outdoor landscape park with this warm ‘home’ of travellers. A small former park with 56 trees in Happy Village saw all the trees transplanted under the ‘shared greenery’ concept, creating a new urban landscape park for the community and sharing local memories with guests.

Inside, the design languages of ‘Frames’ and ‘Layers’ derive from the physical property of films and run through the entire interior space, with dynamic curves, flowing light penetration, and overlapping layers.

Guestrooms were conceptualised as private ‘movie rooms’. Materials such as wood, iron, metal and fair-faced concrete interweave with layers of wooden frames to produce play of light and shadows. The strongly-defined industrial ethos can be found in various creative details, such as the leather-inlaid headboard paired with a slatted barn door; decorative pulleys; a mini-bar door with holes; and industrial-style wall lamps, all of which echo the hotel’s thematic narrative.

Project: Hotel Resonance Taipei, Tapestry Collection by Hilton Location: Taipei, Taiwan, China Interior design: CCD / Cheng Chung Design (HK) | www.ccd.com.hk Project area: 7,447 sq-m

Left Unique artwork and richlyhued soft furnishings line the hotel’s corridors

Opposite page from top A vibrant colour palette creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere • The strongly-defined industrial ethos can be found in various creative details in the guestrooms