Find Yourself in Nature: The Story Behind Studio 8's Anadu Resort Hotel

Interviewed by Jenni Li
Edited by Jennifer J. Lau
Photo Courtesy of Studio8

Modern Chinese CULTURE as a way of living

The Anadu Resort Hotel is the work of Studio 8 - a Chinese architectural firm led by Shirley Dong. After studying and living in Europe for many years, she began to appreciate her culture more and more. She shares: “For me, it is important to understand the story behind a traditional element and interpret it in a contemporary way. We live in the present. I don’t see any reason why we should repeat traditional elements without understanding them.” In line with Fête Chinoise’s vision of tradition, Shirley believes that modern Chinese culture is a way to live and preserve traditions with thought.

Studio 8「八荒設計」Design philosophy

The studio has a perhaps mysterious name to many. The Chinese name,「八荒六合」, is a Chinese expression meaning infinite.「八荒」literally means eight directions to express “all directions”, which also means that there are no boundaries. Their work encompasses architectural design, interior design, FF&E (soft decoration) and visual identity — an approach that is curated and without boundaries.

When asked about their design philosophy, the studio has a strong vision: to design for the present. It must be both contemporary but also respectful to the local culture of the building. Keywords include comfortable, timelessness, and inspiring for all the projects they design.

Anadu Resort Hotel

These keywords are found everywhere in the Anadu Resort Hotel. It was designed for someone who wants to escape from the city and spend quality time with the nature and themselves. The slogan? “Find Yourself in Nature.”

The hotel, Shirley explains, is all about an immersive experience. Reiterating the importance of respecting the space in which each project is born, the studio chose bamboo as one of their key materials because it is both sustainable and locally-sourced. The architect says: “We’ve used it on the building facade to make it blend in with the surroundings without giving too much visual impact.” It is truly a lovely addition to the existing landscape.

Anadu believes in sustainability beyond materials. They grow their own produce and have memorable meals with guests. When asked about her favourite meal there, Shirley recalls the smell of the rose tea that is planted and dried by ladies from the local village. Seasonal food is prepared by the local people in very traditional ways which makes it an especially unique experience.

We hope you have the opportunity to visit this quaint and beautiful resort when travel becomes safer in the coming months and years.

Thank you for reading! We hope you enjoyed learning about this story. Leave us a comment below with your thoughts on sustainability!