A Dramatic Dialogue between History and Contemporary Times!

In designing the Cong Banquet interiors, Associate Interior Design discerningly chooses the colours, materials, and decorative elements to create a diverse and visually rich space that combines rough with exquisite details…

Paying homage to traditional ritual heritage, Cong Banquet is a stand-alone building that takes inspiration from Cong’s (a long hollow piece of jade with rectangular sides and a central round hole symbolising the formation of divine authority) shape, colour, meaning, and quality to interpret the taste, charm, significance, and soul of new fusion cuisine, striving to create a classical dining space that has an everlasting charm.

Solid and glass walls enclose an L-shaped open-air water courtyard that provides sufficient daylight for the internal space and introduces the seasonal scenery indoors. The stunning view of the staggered sloping roof, surrounded by lush green trees, sky clouds, and gentle wind, is reflected on the water’s surface, creating a mirror effect – the water as an element of nature holding profound cultural connotations like jade.

Echoing the square and round shapes of the Cong, circular functional components of different sizes placed on the square water surface, anoint the outdoor area, with the largest circular outdoor rest area connected by the verandah formed by the eaves and the setback building facade. It is a perfect space for parties and intimate conversations.

The square-shaped elements are arranged and combined in a sequential manner, creating a grand sense of ceremony that echoes the outward shape of the Cong. Friends are invited to gather and have a drink together in this space, enjoying a unique and memorable experience.

The interior and exterior aspects work together seamlessly, forming an organic and indivisible whole. The banquet hall’s windows overlook the courtyard, making the outdoor landscape a significant aspect of its appearance. The dark wood outlining the appropriate height divides the facade into two parts, with the lower part creating a close scale with the dining area and the upper part integrating with the ceiling.

Colours of objects are inextricably linked with emotions that are then reflected in the physical space. As the path winds its way, it generates rhythms of varying sizes, widths, and heights. Jade-textured materials are employed to highlight the theme, constructing ceremonial corridors via pavement, partial facades, and structure nodes.

The spaces are characterised by a “scene-setting” design approach. An art installation at the entrance, decorative corners, rocks growing out of the ground, along with the branches of trees suspended on the ceilings, the light-transmitting ceiling, and the special-shaped rocks… form three-dimensional dynamic landscapes, creating new visual language.

The design prioritises the overall purity and integrity of the space over commercial attributes, like camouflaging the cashier area and merging it with the lounge and tea room; doubling up the functional wine cabinet as a display and light-rendering unit, etc. Texture and materiality take precedence in setting the narrative, capturing the essence of the brand and interpreting it into the shape of the space.

Fact File:
Project Name: Cong Banquet
Typology: Hospitality Design
Client: Cong Banquet
Design Firm: Associate Interior Design
Principal Designer: Jianwei Ge
Design Team: Junhui Ma, Lili Xue, Tianzhe Yang, Qinpeng Chen, among others
Site Area: 1800 sq. m.
Gross Floor Area: 1500 sq. m.
Interior Space Area: 1300 sq. m.
Project Location: Hangzhou City, China
Photography credits: Song Ye
Text courtesy of Associate Interior Design
Compiled by Pari Syal