Architect Raefer H. Wallis shares the plans of a future Shanghai icon

By Elyse Singleton

A recent project for Raefer H. Wallis has been the URBN Hotel, Shanghai's latest and hippest boutique accommodation. The architects and owners, Scott Barrack and Jules Kwan's vision to create an iconic building-Can innovative urban retreat was perhaps not at once realized at the original site. Formerly an artificial limbs factory and then a post office for the Jing'an district, the four buildings were "leaning and leaking at every building junction and in serious need of attention," as Wallis describes it. There was nothing particularly remarkable about the building itself, a standard utilitarian factory covered in white tiles. However, elements like two magnolia trees, each around 100 years old, and a huge garden were, according to Wallis, "infinitely more important than the actual building."

Unusual design elements are set to make URBN a Shanghai icon. The wall of old leather suitcases behind the reception desk that represent the message of URBN: "travel, luxury, recycled, hip, modern and historic." There are also the huge wooden front doors and oversized picture windows looking out over the magnolias that are signature features of this chic hotel.

The unique layout of the rooms enables guests to have a truly Asian experience and makes the rooms more conducive to multi-function use, something Wallis felt strongly about. He believes that multi-functionality is a "strong Asian quality." The studio-like rooms are designed with an emphasis on the lounge area rather than the bed. He believes that this aids their green concept for the space as people are more likely to spend time in the room, thus maximizing the use of the resources supplied. "The building aims to reinvent the urban hotel type in a way that is contextual and both environmentally and culturally sensitive," he explains.

Wallis believes that there is more innovation, more responsibility, more experimentation and hence, more progress in Shanghai. The URBN Hotel captures this perfectly.

The owners' attitudes, especially regarding the environmentally friendly aspects of the building, saw simple and old ideas used in an innovative fashion. Not only was the hotel created from an existing structure with the use of recycled and locally sourced materials, but the incorporation of many other green details such as safe paints, double glazed windows and an energy efficient air-conditioning system. Not visible in the structure itself, but certainly a contributing factor to the hotel's status as a green icon, is the fact that the company calculates the carbon footprint of the hotel and buys carbon credits to offset it.

As Wallis states, "Shanghai is an incredibly unique city" and a unique hotel, such as the URBN, is set to become an icon of modern and green design.

Who: Raefer H. Wallis
Co-Founder of A00 Architecture Specializing in the renovation and conversion of former French Concession lanehouses and shikumen, the firm has moved into commercial projects such as aFuturePerfect and Syzygy.