Conceptual Work I: Hotel Design Implementing Culture & Charcter in Tibet.
Steadfast generosity. Rabten Jinpa. This conceptual hotel is based in the region of Tibet, located in the heart of the capitol, Lhasa. Their culture is rich and vibrant, hospitable and welcoming, and proud.
Through a long history of persecution and struggle for independence, this hotel is intended to mark as an example of the beauty of their people for all visitors. The focus was on the first floor of the hotel, highlighting the public spaces as you enter inside.
It is a place of rest for the restless.
For this project the medium of choice was AutoCAD and Sketchup. It was important to incorporate the character of the Tibetan culture into the hotel. Hotels are places of escape and respite from the routine of work. So to help encourage that feeling of escape, texture and color were heavily relied upon. Vibrant reds and oranges pop against the natural materials while structured simplistic shapes offset the bold patterns.
One part of the Tibetan culture which strikes me most is the art of Mandalas. It is an amazing art form practiced in the Tibetan Buddhist religion.They are typically made out of colorful sand, created by Buddhist monks. The time required to create them spans over days, full of meticulous workmanship, all from memory. They are beautifully ornate and detailed. Most significant is once they are complete they are washed away, done so to express how impermanent the things of this world are. I wanted to capture these creations somewhere in the hotel and after deciding that the location of the restaurant would be in the circular part of the building, the round shape fit perfectly. It is a focal point in place where people gather to celebrate and appreciate such a beautiful culture.
Warm wishes,
Kels