Shanghai’s Clubhouse with a Resort Vibe

Shanghai Aroma Town is a clubhouse designed by WJ Studio, dressed with thematic natural elements to recreate resort vibes in the southern suburbs. Led by principal designer Hu Zhile, the team divided the space to focus on different themes: a tea-themed social living room for meetings and socialising, a flower-theme aromatic room and spa, as well as a food-themed private dining room.

Tea-drinking lies at the heart of Chinese tradition. As a space for rest, socialising, and transition, the design of the social living room area displays Chinese Zen-style brush paintings and traces of wood to convey elegance and tranquility­. This Zen-like calm is accentuated with details such as low stools and exquisite tableware.

In the adjacent aromatic room, the design displays clean lines and predominantly light wood to conjure an intimate and comfortable feeling that allows one to fully relax in the space. Wood is interspersed with glass and metal to create visual depth. In the spa area and guest rooms, a darker colour palette is perused to offer contrast of light and dark. Here, the space is designed to convey a sense of escapism.

The private dining room continues the elegant feel of the previous space, exhibiting a dark wood base and echoing materials to create a natural, intimate and quiet private area.

Finally, the tea room is designed to recreate a scene of one leisurely drinking tea in the woods. The surrounding natural landscape is invited into the space to bring one closer to nature. This space is purposefully designed to provide a place of rest and recovery for people living in a fast-paced city for a long time—a place of respite.