Header: Dmitry Chebanenko
Architecture has long been a way to safeguard the identity of a place, not only through its functionality but also by taking inspiration from local culture, landscape, and traditional craftsmanship. When designers are trained, they learn to see buildings as structures that can reflect the climate and materials, borrow from the skills of local artisans, and position themselves within a landscape in a way that feels immersed rather than forced upon. This relationship between structure and environment is commonly visible in hospitality projects, where visitors experience architecture as both a comfortable accommodation and an introduction to the culture they’re visiting.
Two examples of this approach can be seen in recent winners of the LIV Hospitality Design Awards. The Zaonezhie Boutique Hotel in Russia’s Karelia region is situated on Lake Onega and took inspiration directly from northern traditions of timber building. In Phuket, ARCO PHUKET TOWN was adapted to the architectural history of the island’s old town, having turned local craft into a contemporary hotel.
Zaonezhie Boutique Hotel
The Zaonezhie Boutique Hotel is made up of a group of buildings set by the shore of Lake Onega in the north of Russia, combining two guest houses, a sauna, and the main hotel building, which includes a large hall for yoga and events. Each part of the complex has been arranged to offer open views towards the lake while also providing private spaces so that guests can enjoy both shared and individual experiences within the landscape.
Designed by RHIZOME, led by Tatiana Sinelnikova and Eugeny Reshetov, with interiors by Milena Morozova, the design takes its cues from the traditional wooden architecture of the region, with timber façades and details that introduce guests to local forms and construction methods. Inside the main hotel, visitors can enjoy a restaurant, a library, and spaces devoted to wellness practices, all of which are connected by the natural setting and the use of the same local materials.
ARCO PHUKET TOWN
ARCO PHUKET TOWN is a six-story boutique hotel in the centre of Phuket, designed by KEF Studio under the leadership of Naphat Theeraumpornpunt, with interiors also developed by the same firm. The whole project was designed around the history of the island’s old town and its mix of European and Chinese influences, so guests are welcomed upon arrival by a white cement exterior and arches reminiscent of the façades of the region’s “Baba” shophouses.
On the ground floor, public areas include a triple-arch lobby and a corridor lined with the traditional “Ngor-Kha-Khi” five-foot arcades, which lead towards an elevator foyer that opens onto a pool courtyard. This pool space is designed as a raised platform inspired by Chinese opera stages, with tropical plants surrounding the area. Inside, abacus patterns were added directly to the furniture, lighting, and sculpture works, having been created by local makers to recall the island’s role as a trade point between Europe and China.
