B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio's Author's Room Hotel Reinterprets Guangzhou's Qi Lou Vernacular at Aranya Jiulong Lake

B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio has completed Author's Room Hotel for naive IMAGINIST at Aranya Jiulong Lake, an hour from Guangzhou. The 24,918-square-foot structure draws from the Qi Lou typology common in Guangzhou, where ground floors house commerce with residences above. This four-floor building positions public amenities—a cafe, bookstore, and dining room—on its first level. Eighteen guest rooms occupy the upper floors, maintaining privacy from the public spaces below. Situated along Jiulong Lake reservoir's eastern shore, the hotel is framed by mountains on its other side. Its stepped form emerges from the mountainous surroundings, creating a protected environment reminiscent of traditional arcade houses that shelter pedestrian activity. The project adapts a regional architectural tradition for contemporary hospitality use.