YANG & Associates Group and YOSAAN by YANG have completed the transformation of a long-abandoned hotel structure into Kimpton Aqeos Hainan, marking the boutique brands debut in Greater China with a design inspired by a fictional globe-trotting art collector and environmentalist.
Located in the relatively untouched Clear Water Bay of Lingshui County (陵水縣), the resort occupies a dramatically different context from the developed luxury hotel corridor of neighbouring Haitang Bay (海棠灣). The 61,000-square-metre property sits within preserved tropical rainforest and coastal ecosystems, providing what the design team describes as Hainans most naturally enchanting luxury resort setting.
The project presented YANG & Associates and YOSAAN by YANG with the challenge of reimagining an 83,000-square-metre abandoned structure that was originally planned as a 500-room flagship for an international hotel brand. Rather than starting from scratch, the practice undertook a holistic renovation encompassing architecture, interiors, furniture and art curation to create what they term “avant-garde aesthetics and compelling social magnetism.”
Central to the design concept is a fictional muse – a global traveler, art collector and dedicated environmentalist whose aesthetic sensibilities inform the spatial experience. This narrative device allowed the team to create what they describe as an atmosphere of “private discovery, unhurried wandering, and indulgent relaxation” through contemporary design language and living philosophy.
The most radical intervention involves redefining the traditional hotel lobby as a multifunctional “Art Atrium,” “Living Room,” and “Leisure Balcony.” The reception area centers around a fireplace surrounded by organic curved furniture, creating an open social environment enhanced by seven infinity water features, curated artworks, and tropical greenery that encourages guests to slow down and engage with their surroundings.
Dining venues each manifest distinct aesthetic realms tailored to their culinary programs, from the all-day dining restaurant to specialised Chinese and Japanese restaurants and two bars.
A Games Chamber integrates chess, billiards, and screening facilities, while a dedicated e-sports center specifically addresses Generation Z lifestyle preferences. Guest room furnishings extend the collector muse concept through personalised bespoke pieces designed to carry narrative depth.
To address the inherited constraints of low ceilings, limited natural light, and obstructed views, YANG & Associates introduced a triangular grid structure in the atrium that enhances axial rhythm while preserving open exploration areas.
New skylights in the lobby canopy and atrium maximise natural light and ventilation, transforming the atrium into a non-temperature-controlled zone that reduces artificial lighting and HVAC dependence while lowering energy consumption.
The practice positions the completed resort as transcending “traditional material opulence and stylistic labels” in favour of what they call an “inward journey exploring culture, physical well-being, and the soul” – establishing a new narrative of contemporary luxury for the Kimpton brand in the Chinese market.
Photo courtesy of Wang Ting
