Sunrise scenery
One year after completing the Qingli project, our studio embarked on the second phase of work. Over the past year, Weizhou Island has undergone significant changes: tourist numbers have increased, and public facilities have been enhanced. The island’s homestay market has flourished, with new accommodations emerging like mushrooms after rain, blooming alongside diverse flowers.
In such a thriving market, staying calm, thinking independently, and balancing practicality with innovation are major challenges for homestay development. Most homestays here are renovations of existing buildings, which come with inherent structural flaws and inefficient floor plans that designers must carefully address.
Aerial view of the building’s exterior
The new homestay is named Qingli Dawn, symbolizing the dawn or the moment just before sunrise. The name reflects its location, where guests can enjoy breathtaking views of the sunrise over the sea. The project is situated in Xiakeng Village, on the southeastern corner of Weizhou Island. This village has a small population and only a handful of homestays, but it boasts stunning scenery, a long coastline, and a small forest separating the village from the beach. The sea views here are truly unique.
Xiakeng Village, Weizhou Island
The expansive coastline of Weizhou Island
The site includes a four-story main building and a one-story auxiliary building arranged in an L-shaped layout, enclosing a courtyard. The main entrance faces the southeast corner along the highway. The main building measures 11.8 meters by 14.5 meters, while the auxiliary building is 6 meters by 12 meters. Prior to the owner’s acquisition, the property already functioned as a homestay.
The owner’s main requests were to optimize the existing floor plan, simplify the complex original facade through BIM techniques, and carefully manage the relationship between the building and the surrounding landscape. These requirements presented a significant challenge, especially since the design had to comply with local renovation regulations concerning site boundaries, building height, and floor area while working within a limited budget to create a fresh new appearance.
Building exterior
Courtyard
First floor plan
Originally, the building’s floor plan had a central corridor with rooms of similar size on either side. To enhance the sea views, we connected some east-facing rooms with their west-facing counterparts to create better ventilation and landscaped spaces. This strategy increased the number of rooms with sea views.
The first floor primarily serves as a reception and lounge area. We installed floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors facing the sea, which open onto an outdoor platform. The platform sits approximately one meter above the road level, offering added privacy for outdoor activities.
First floor outdoor platform
Outdoor platform
Outdoor platform
Reception hall on the first floor
Reception hall
Reception hall interior
The hotel restaurant, adjacent to the main building, encloses a semi-open courtyard. Sliding doors open onto this space, allowing guests to dine under the shade of trees while enjoying views of the swimming pool and grassy landscape. The restaurant’s roof doubles as a viewing platform, offering panoramic sea views. At the center of the courtyard, a swimming pool is adorned with green mosaic tiles that harmonize with the surrounding ground.
Aerial view of the building at night
Swimming pool at night
We carefully considered several materials for the building’s exterior, including washed stone and terrazzo. Because the building must withstand the island’s high temperatures and rainy climate, durable and easily repairable materials were chosen. The exterior walls feature real stone spray paint and pineapple-patterned wooden boards painted dark green. Surrounded by coral stone walls and forest, the building is designed to emerge like an oasis, offering views of the changing sea.
Inside the lobby and rooms, each floor is finished with terrazzo flooring in varying colors.
Partial building facade
Stairwell
“Dawn” represents the sunrise and the beginning of a new day. We hope that every guest will experience the relaxed island lifestyle and the unique atmosphere here each day.
Building exterior
Top floor balcony
Starry Sky Room
Starry Sky Room bathtub (BIM tutorial)
Room living area
Guest bathroom
Guest bathroom
Design Drawings:
First floor plan
Second floor plan
Third floor plan
Fourth floor plan
Northeast facade
Southeast facade
Southwest facade
Axonometric drawing
Project Information:
Project Name: Qingli Dawn Hotel
Location: Xiakeng Village, Weizhou Island, Beihai, Guangxi
Site Area: 554 square meters
Floor Area: 260 square meters
Total Building Area: 760 square meters
Number of Floors: Main Building – 4 floors; Auxiliary Building – 1 floor
Design Firm: Jianwai Architecture Studio
Lead Architects: Feng Guoan, Wang Suyu
Design Team: Bu Dongmei
Design Period: November 2017 to January 2018
Construction Period: February 2018 to October 2018
Photography by: Bai Yu
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