The Water House, Boutique hotel in South Bund, Shanghai, China.
The Water House is a four-story hotel with 19 rooms located along the Huangpu River in South Bund, featuring a restored concrete facade and new Cor-Ten steel details. The interior combines furniture from renowned designers and offers views of the Pudong skyline.
The building originated in the 1930s as a Japanese military headquarters. It was transformed into a hotel by Neri&Hu Design Office in 2010.
The building reflects the layout of traditional Shanghai residential quarters, with tight spaces and connected pathways that echo the old nong-tang neighborhoods. Visitors experience this spatial arrangement directly while moving through the corridors and shared areas.
The hotel is about 20 minutes by taxi from Xiaonanmen station and can be accessed via the Huangpu River promenade. Its location by the water provides easy access to nearby restaurants and river attractions.
The interior creates unexpected visual connections between public and private spaces through strategically positioned windows and corridor layouts. These design choices allow surprising views and create a sense of spatial flexibility throughout the building.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
