We are honored to announce that Gabellini Sheppard's Shanghai Aman Tea Pavilion has been awarded Interior Design Magazine's 2024 Best of Year Award in the On The Boards: Commercial category.

Designed for the Shanghai Aman Resort, this modular tea house draws inspiration from the traditional Chinese tea pavilion, a symbol of cultural heritage that has endured for centuries. Set within a serenely bucolic environment, the pavilion harmonizes with its natural surroundings and fosters a sense of mindfulness and tranquility. Our studio embarked on a journey to craft a contemporary tea pavilion that immerses guests in the timeless ritual of tea drinking within nature’s embrace.

At the core of the Shanghai Aman Tea Pavilion concept lies a reverence for ritual, where organic forms and traditional artifacts pay homage to the ancient practice of tea drinking, effortlessly intertwining the past with the present. Drawing inspiration from traditional Chinese pavilions that relay stories of community and bespoke artistry, the pavilion concept weaves together contemporary elements that embrace tradition and artisanal craftsmanship. Our exploration included pleated fabric and physical model studies as we reinterpreted iconic pavilion forms to create a modular and seasonal moveable structure that seamlessly integrates with the surrounding environment.

Featuring a double cellular pleated fabric canopy arching over a hovering wooden platform, the Shanghai Aman Tea Pavilion embodies simplicity with a sensory-charged character. Embracing minimalism, the curved canopy gently frames and focuses the surrounding landscape and unfolds over the seating area to create an intimate, cocoon-like space. Carefully integrated lighting guides guests into a warm and inviting atmosphere, where serenity and discovery intertwine. Craftsmanship is celebrated throughout the interior, with custom furniture including a demountable cantilevered Chinese walnut table and a surrounding carved seating group. Bespoke tray arrangements and contemporary porcelain tea serving accoutrements grace the table surface. Within this environment of harmony and balance, the tea ceremony becomes a transcendent sensorial experience, fostering connection with nature and self.