Andaz Shanghai ITC gives old Shanghai a stylish new stack.
Set in the heart of Xujiahui Centre, the new Andaz Shanghai ITC, done collaboratively by HBA Hong Kong and Light Directions, distils the charm, rhythm and social energy of one of Shanghai’s most storied districts into a contemporary hospitality setting. The design looks to the French Concession for its sense of scale, intimacy and character, translating these qualities into a more layered and atmospheric guest experience.
The concept takes shape through what the team describes as a “vertical community” — a hotel imagined as a series of distinct city moments stacked one above another. Inspired by a neighbourhood illustration whose outline echoed the site itself, the floor plan was reworked to feel almost like a residential quarter unfolded in section.
The arrival lobby on the third floor sets the tone with a courtyard-like composition and a warm, welcoming mood. A luminous glass-brick feature wall, paired with stone and moss-green carpeting, alludes to the texture and memory of Shanghai’s laneway fabric, while also serving as a striking vertical gesture that anchors the space.
This sense of quiet tactility continues throughout the public areas, where lounges, dining venues and shared spaces are shaped by subtle references to the city’s historic neighbourhoods. The atmosphere is less about spectacle than nuance: a more relaxed, lived-in kind of elegance that feels rooted in place.
The guestrooms extend the residential narrative, with maisonette layouts, bespoke furnishings and carefully chosen materials creating a sense of comfort and individuality. Floor-to-ceiling windows frame both historic architecture and the contemporary skyline, bringing old and new into the same view.
Lighting plays a central role in the story. Developed in close collaboration from the outset, the scheme does more than illuminate; it frames the experience, softens transitions and brings out the textures and mood of each space. From lantern-like glass brick details to backlit shutters that echo daylight filtering through blinds, the lighting design lends the hotel a distinctly domestic warmth.
With 267 guestrooms and 17 suites, Andaz Shanghai ITC presents itself as a lifestyle destination shaped by local memory, but tuned to the pace and expectations of modern travel. It is a hotel that feels deeply of Shanghai, yet unmistakably contemporary in outlook.
