China’s southernmost point is the Hainan Island province, whose tropical climate has made it a go-to vacation spot. The burgeoning “Hawaii of China” inspired a large insurance company to build the sprawling Sanya Wellness Retreat on the island’s Haitang Bay. The company enlisted Shanghai-based Neri&Hu Design and Research Office. But when the architects arrived at the site, they found that the supposed beach resort is not … on the beach.
A pesky highway divides the beach from the retreat, requiring visitors to cross beneath via underground tunnels. This puzzled the architects: “How to let the people who come here have a sense of peace and quiet and not be bothered by the highway?” asked the firm’s cofounder Rossana Hu.
The answer was in the massing. Two L-shaped volumes encircle a courtyard, walling off the road while protecting guests within its arms. The diagram takes cues from the ancient walled city of Nanjing. The timber form is perched atop a masonry base, ensuring that all 343 guest rooms have a view of the ocean.
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