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Witty Charm of a Shanghai Boutique Hotel in a 1930s Warehouse

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In the entrance to this cutting-edge boutique hotel, the original’s rough edges remain; worn stone flooring and old concrete walls.

The Waterhouse at South Bund by Neri & Hu  in Shanghai, China is a chic renovation of an industrial warehouse from the 1930s.

The dockyards neighborhood of the historic warehouse district remains outside.

A brisk new concrete counter keeps a stiff upper lip, and an ironic chandelier poses an amusing contrast in decor.

But irony aside, peeling paint and stained old concrete is just what the weary traveler has no energy for at the end of a tiring journey.

Which is why the rooms upstairs come as more of a surprise.

Suddenly you are offered a big hot bath in a glass box and a long night’s sleep on fresh white sheets – comfort!

It is almost as if the contrast is intended to maximize the relief.

Smoky glass is used in several rooms to screen off the shower or bath.

Upstairs there are only a few reminders of the antiquated original dockyards structure, like this dark brick wall.

After the historical preservation downstairs, here comfort and peace reign.

Altogether a refreshing spatial experience for guests who seek the extraordinary.