LOPO Terracotta Cladding Project: The Ritz-Carlton, Suzhou
Architect: Kohn Pedersen Fox (KPF)
LOPO Products: Custom glazed terracotta cladding system, total area 4,500 m²
Strategically located in Suzhou's UNESCO-protected Gusu District, The Ritz-Carlton forms the architectural centerpiece of the mixed-use Suzhou Huamao Center, where contemporary commerce intersects with cultural heritage. The hotel's privileged position offers immediate access to world-renowned landmarks including the Lingering Garden and Humble Administrator's Garden, seamlessly blending urban convenience with cultural immersion.
The Ritz-Carlton, SuzhouCommissioned in early 2025, this 25,000 m² luxury property comprises 190 meticulously designed guest accommodations, featuring 57 expansive suites at 86 m² each. The interior scheme by Peter Remedios pays homage to Suzhou's dual legacy as a silk trading capital and garden city, expressed through a restrained material palette and spatial choreography that reinterpret classical Chinese aesthetics for the modern era.
KPF's architectural narrative translates Suzhou's vernacular architecture into contemporary design language. The façade's pearl-white glazed terracotta rain screen system artfully abstracts traditional design elements - the graduated layering of gray roof tiles (diǎowǎ), the geometry of folding fans, and the gestural quality of ink brushwork - through its three-dimensional composition.
This architectural ambition was realized through LOPO China's development of 15 terracotta profiles, including flat panels, fluted units, right-angled modules, and obtuse-angled terracotta units. The engineered curtain wall system achieves flawless integration of these diverse elements, producing a continuous, rhythmical surface that transitions elegantly from solid cladding to glazed apertures. The material dialogue between terracotta and glass articulates a sophisticated balance of heritage and innovation, where traditional craftsmanship meets precision engineering.
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