Sign me up! This exclusive club in China is an architectural marvel

An architectural project where East meets West, this exclusive club exhibits the beauty of the union between the traditional and contemporary styles.

Located in Huzhou, a city in China’s historical Zhejiang province, the 20,000 sq m Huzhou Club Center is housed within a large residential complex in a separate building known as “Change on – White City”.

Huzhou is of close proximity to Hangzhou – the province’s capital and almost a household name thanks to it being the birthplace of China’s e-commerce giant Alibaba Group. It has benefited in terms of growth from Hangzhou’s reputation as one of the best Chinese cities for business according to Forbes.

Additionally, being located in the heart of the Yangtze River Delta Economic area, south of Lake Tai – the third largest freshwater lake in China – there will be no shortage of scenic water views in Huzhou. And this includes the Changxing-Huzhou-Shanghai Channel (Eastern Rhine River) that calmly meanders through the city as a thoroughfare for barges. Another architectural wonder, the ring-shaped Sheraton Huzhou Hot Spring Resort also capitalises on the unique modern and traditional elements of the city by integrating the building into the waterscape of Lake Tai.

The club opened its doors in Dec 2020 and caters not only to the residents but is also open to the city and to guests.

Designed by Italian architecture firm Studio Marco Piva, the concept of the luxury Club Center draws heavily from the rich history and strong natural elements of Huzhou city. Here you can see design inspirations from the sinuous shape of Ginkgo tree leaves that is also reminiscent of the characteristic ribs of a hand fan, and how it can blend seamlessly with modern Italian aesthetics.

An intertwining of classical and contemporary concepts

Shaped in a geometrical and fluid layout, Club Center is divided into three activity areas: leisure (ground floor), which houses the reception, lounges and rooms for sporting activities; entertainment (first floor) which features a lounge bar, billiard room, wine cellar and more; and lastly, wellness in the basement, which comes equipped with a swimming pool, sauna and relaxation area.

Built into the stone-slabbed building’s facade are three full-height windows, offering ample natural lighting in addition to the decorative and backlit light sources that highlight the curves and geometrics of the club.

Like an accent display on its exterior, the transparent wall shows the magnificent glass and metal chandelier – inspired by the characteristics of a Chinese fan and its reeds – spanning nearly the entire height of the entrance lobby.

Satin- or bronze-finished steel line the walls and details of the interior alongside natural materials such as wood, leather, fabric and silk, complemented with furniture produced by Italian manufacturer Bross.

The extensive use of marble, contrasted against the various artwork and sculptures, lend further opulence to the club. The glass-partitioned wine cellar and the monolith-shaped metal washbasins are among the many notable amalgamations in Huzhou Club Center.

Clearly, this elegant establishment is tailored to give visitors a boost of vibrancy and dynamism.

This story first appeared in the EdgeProp.my E-weekly on June 4, 2021. You can access back issues here.

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