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Where East meets West with elegance and style
By Yao Minji |
March 9, 2009, Monday
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IT is the late afternoon and I am dripping wet when I arrive at Xihu (West Lake) Tiandi, Hangzhou's version of the famous Shanghai Xintiandi and one of Hangzhou's hottest nightlife venues.
I prefer the West Lake when it is raining rather than when it is shimmering in sunlight, probably because it is more reminiscent of that very romantic encounter between the White Snake and her lover Xu Xian at the lake.
Part of Xihu Tiandi was opened in 2003, and the rest of it in 2005.
I was reluctant to visit when I heard about the project. I felt I could not tolerate another instance of a great scenic attraction being "polluted" by commercialism.
The favorite lake of my childhood was thus blocked by me until I read an interview with Benjamin Wood, the architect and designer.
He said: "Buildings are not important in the West Lake area. It's best not to see any buildings. 'None' is what I want to present the most here."
And he has.
Rather than "East meets West," Wood shows how nature can meet fashion at Xihu Tiandi.
From afar, the place isn't too different to how I remember it. The roads are new and so too are the dense groves of bamboo and trees.
Even as I get close enough to smell the aroma of coffee from a Starbucks, I'm still not sure about how many buildings I will come across in the lane. But all the shops, restaurants and bars are hidden away by the bamboo and trees.
The stroll while it rains is full of pleasant surprises - I'm suddenly charmed by the delicate renovation of an Italian restaurant or the scent of Chinese tea from a teahouse.
It's just like walking through a classic Chinese garden, where scenes change at every step and turn. But, of course, instead of bridges and water, this garden is filled with shops and restaurants.
My favorite place in Hangzhou from my childhood now stands in front of me again, like a good friend from old times wearing most fashionable clothes. There is a sense of remoteness, yet I'm also attracted by the fresh approach.
As in Shanghai Xintiandi, Wood gives the old houses a modern life by introducing architectural magic. This time, he preserved the ancient walls, the typical structures of houses in Zhejiang Province, and the delicate carvings on the ceilings. These historical pieces and the aroma of the bricks are part of the West Lake that I know and love.
Floor-to-ceiling glass windows add a modern touch to some of the buildings so that they are ready to be home to luxury shops and upmarket restaurants. Though I still have reservations about changing classic buildings, I have to admit the touches here blend nature, fashion and classic Chinese architecture well.
After a pleasant trip on the lake, it's a pleasure to sit behind the large windows and enjoy the warmth indoors and nature outside.
One of my favorite spots here is Cha Jiu Nian Dai (Tea & Wine Chapter), a gorgeous restaurant blending the feelings of French wine and Chinese tea and food.
The area is designed to show East meets West. A bottle of French wine stands on an antique woven bamboo table. Western abstract paintings hang from classic Chinese screens.
All the restaurants and bars have an individual style. It is wonderfully relaxing to stroll along the small and winding lane and find a restaurant which brings you love at first sight.
I prefer the West Lake when it is raining rather than when it is shimmering in sunlight, probably because it is more reminiscent of that very romantic encounter between the White Snake and her lover Xu Xian at the lake.
Part of Xihu Tiandi was opened in 2003, and the rest of it in 2005.
I was reluctant to visit when I heard about the project. I felt I could not tolerate another instance of a great scenic attraction being "polluted" by commercialism.
The favorite lake of my childhood was thus blocked by me until I read an interview with Benjamin Wood, the architect and designer.
He said: "Buildings are not important in the West Lake area. It's best not to see any buildings. 'None' is what I want to present the most here."
And he has.
Rather than "East meets West," Wood shows how nature can meet fashion at Xihu Tiandi.
From afar, the place isn't too different to how I remember it. The roads are new and so too are the dense groves of bamboo and trees.
Even as I get close enough to smell the aroma of coffee from a Starbucks, I'm still not sure about how many buildings I will come across in the lane. But all the shops, restaurants and bars are hidden away by the bamboo and trees.
The stroll while it rains is full of pleasant surprises - I'm suddenly charmed by the delicate renovation of an Italian restaurant or the scent of Chinese tea from a teahouse.
It's just like walking through a classic Chinese garden, where scenes change at every step and turn. But, of course, instead of bridges and water, this garden is filled with shops and restaurants.
My favorite place in Hangzhou from my childhood now stands in front of me again, like a good friend from old times wearing most fashionable clothes. There is a sense of remoteness, yet I'm also attracted by the fresh approach.
As in Shanghai Xintiandi, Wood gives the old houses a modern life by introducing architectural magic. This time, he preserved the ancient walls, the typical structures of houses in Zhejiang Province, and the delicate carvings on the ceilings. These historical pieces and the aroma of the bricks are part of the West Lake that I know and love.
Floor-to-ceiling glass windows add a modern touch to some of the buildings so that they are ready to be home to luxury shops and upmarket restaurants. Though I still have reservations about changing classic buildings, I have to admit the touches here blend nature, fashion and classic Chinese architecture well.
After a pleasant trip on the lake, it's a pleasure to sit behind the large windows and enjoy the warmth indoors and nature outside.
One of my favorite spots here is Cha Jiu Nian Dai (Tea & Wine Chapter), a gorgeous restaurant blending the feelings of French wine and Chinese tea and food.
The area is designed to show East meets West. A bottle of French wine stands on an antique woven bamboo table. Western abstract paintings hang from classic Chinese screens.
All the restaurants and bars have an individual style. It is wonderfully relaxing to stroll along the small and winding lane and find a restaurant which brings you love at first sight.
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