Beijing 2009 - Hotel Kapok

Hotel Kapok is a modern boutique hotel located at Donghuameng Street, a main commercial street towards the Eastern side of the Forbidden City. It is one of the new generation of Beijing hotels which are design-focused, offering something different from the typical 4 or 5 star hotels.

Designed by Beijing architect Studio Pei-Zhu, the external facade of the building is inspired by the Chinese lantern. It is a screen which covers the entire facade of the building, made of fibre-glass. Translucent and jade-like in colour, the screen catches the sun and produce a shimmering effect when viewed at different angles.

Inside the hotel the design is very modern and contemporary, with a bamboo courtyard providing lighting to the centre of the building. There is a "staircase library" where guests can read and relax. 

The hotel exterior.

The lobby and courtyard.

The reading corner.

The "staircase library".