2025 | Professional

MUSE Design Awards Gold Winner

Alila Shanghai

Entrant Company

Klaasen Lighting Design

Category

Lighting Design - Hotels & Hospitality (Interior Lighting)

Client's Name

Fungseng Prosperity (China) Limited

Country / Region

China

Alila Shanghai is a contemporary luxury sanctuary in the heart of the city, designed as an “Urban Utopia”—a tranquil retreat within the bustling Jing’an District. The lighting design plays a pivotal role in shaping this hidden oasis, enhancing spatial depth, creating contrast between day and night, and offering guests an immersive and serene experience.
At night, carefully calibrated lighting accentuates architectural forms, highlights focal points, and fosters a relaxed ambiance. A layered approach balances aesthetics with energy efficiency, complementing the interiors through indirect washes, accent lighting, and curated focal illumination. The interplay of light and shadow reinforces warmth and tranquility, embodying Alila’s vision of understated luxury.
Arrival & Lobby: Subtle lighting compositions enhance the arrival sequence, with warm cove lighting reinforcing brand identity. The ground-level lobby features a media screen with curated projections, adding an element of mystery before guests ascend to level four, where a lush garden view offers an immediate sense of retreat.
Guestrooms & Suites: A residential lighting approach provides intuitive control over light levels. Concealed linear lighting, custom-designed decorative fixtures, and task lighting ensure functionality and comfort, with warm color temperatures fostering relaxation.
Dining & Lounge Spaces: Warm pools of light define dining areas, while accent lighting highlights textures and curated design elements. The restaurant’s feature tree anchors the space, transporting diners into an intimate courtyard setting. The bar, overlooking the old town and Shanghai’s skyline, blends soft indirect lighting with backlit and pendant elements to enhance depth and exclusivity, creating a refined and immersive atmosphere.
Sustainability is integral to the design, with high-efficiency LEDs, intelligent controls, and daylight integration optimizing energy use. Sensor-based dimming and automated scene-setting enhance user experience while reducing consumption. Carefully selected fixtures ensure longevity and minimal maintenance, aligning with Alila’s commitment to eco-conscious hospitality.
This thoughtful lighting design reinforces Alila Shanghai’s promise of a sophisticated retreat, balancing urban vibrancy with peaceful respite.

Credits

Klaasen Lighting Design
Martin Klaasen
Klaasen Lighting Design
Cheryline Chua
Zhuoying Lighting Design
Andy Ji
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