Winner: Hospitality project of the year 2023. Galaxy Arch has designed the Dapi Mountain Retreat in Hebi City, China.

Located on the Dapi Mountain, the restaurant is adjacent to an ancient temple, boasting a spacious garden and a platform with mountain views.

Inspired by the local cultural heritage of 'Clay Gugu' – a century-old clay sculpture craft featuring bird-like figures – the restaurant's design showcases a smooth and graceful silhouette, resembling a Gugu bird spreading its wings atop the mountain.

The rustic architecture predominantly utilises local natural materials like wood, rough stones, and slate tile.

Inside, the entrance porch leads to an interior with a pitched roof made of a steel-wood composite structure, providing a warm and spacious ambience.

Judges comments: "This project's response to its site is exquisite. The treatment of the roof is very elegant, a poetic synthesis of old and new that is exuberant without being flashy. The building makes a unique formal gesture that feels natural and nods to the vernacular architecture in a confident and contemporary way that complements both the existing buildings and the surrounding landscape."

Studio: Galaxy Arch
Project: Dapi Mountain Restaurant
Credits: Corner Studio