After a corruption purge in the late 1990s, which left many major building commissions unfinished, areas of China experienced an unprecedented demand for upscale, amenity-rich, business hotels that would address the needs of international and domestic travelers. Tianjin Urban Construction Group, a developer, purchased the shell of an incomplete tower in downtown Tianjin, brought in Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific to manage the property, and hired RSP to transform what the Chinese call the “rotten tail” of the unrealized structure into a landmark five-star hotel.

Inspired by the image of a lotus flower, a symbol of reawakening, RSP redesigned the building’s base as a sweeping glass-clad rotunda. Out of this dynamic base, a new 23-foot tower blossoms skyward. Layers of glass-and-aluminum petals stretch slightly outward and shimmer, especially when lit during the evening. RSP crowned the 200+ room hotel with a rooftop garden and glass-clad executive club that glows lantern-like at night.

The hotel’s elegant design reflects both the area’s progressive attitude toward its future while embracing the iconic symbolism of its traditions.