English 英: Deborah Lau-Yu Chinese 中: Ophelie C.
venue: shangri-la hotel toronto
photography: calvin Lee & shangri-la hotel toronto

安大略省‧多倫多香格里拉大酒店：酒店以獨特設計風格務求在多倫多核心地段打造第二個城巿綠洲。坐落在大學道交匯處，門前那《升騰》氣勢十足，這座奪目燿眼的巨型雕塑是中國當代藝術家張洹的作品，型態活像一條龍，又像一棵大樹「升騰」至酒店三樓，酒店大堂的天花也有展翅的鳥兒雕塑，將戶外的雕塑主題延伸到室內。

Upon stepping inside, you are greeted by a towering calligraphic painting of the familiar Canadian landmark, Niagara Falls — conveyed in just a few decisive brush strokes. The same Shanghainese artist Xuyuan Wang created four dramatic paintings of the most famous modern Peking opera artists in China. Each painting marries minimalism and traditional brush painting while manifesting unique characteristics of each opera singer; even their surnames are incorporated into the works.

就在此際，一幅參天書畫會映入你的眼簾。那是上海藝術家王緒遠的作品，寥寥幾筆就刻畫出加拿大著名地標尼亞加拉大瀑布的神韻。同場還有他描繪中國京劇四大花旦的作品，值得留意的是，作品融合極簡主義和傳統書法，以簡約的筆觸和視覺形象描繪出她們獨特的意態風韻，更隱藏她們姓氏的漢字在其中，實在不容錯過。

Wang’s art is created in the style of ‘han shu’ which has a deep history and meaning in Chinese culture. His body of work features Chinese characters combining two practices of traditional Chinese calligraphy and painting into one unique form. Based in Shanghai, Xu Yuan has a strong connection to Canada, having family in Vancouver and his history as a long-time collaborator of Westbank. His works in both hotels blend both Canadian and Chinese influences by their subject matter.

王氏的作品以「漢書」風格見稱，這種脫胎於書法、漢字和水墨畫的當代藝術呈現他對漢字、中國文化、書畫、書寫等多角度的理解。他本人以上海為基地，但與加拿大甚有淵源，不單有家人在溫哥華，而且長期與西岸集團(Westbank)合作，他在兩間酒店的作品均呈現出加拿大和中國的文化薈萃。

Beautiful tea libraries flank the elevators, with hundreds of handmade blue and white porcelain tea and ginger jars that are a visual delight. In the evening, the hotel glows like a glittering gem with the 3rd floor event space lit with its choir of crystal chandeliers in the Museum Room — equally magical inside as it is looking in from the downtown streets. The outdoor terrace that extends from the main ballroom has a beautifully designed rock garden and landscaping, as well as a modern bee apiary where honey and natural lip balm is made onsite from the season’s harvest. The visual language of Asian culture and art that depicts heavenly realms of nature continues throughout every room, in a paradise found within a bustling urban core.

電梯旁的茶館亦非常雅緻，裏面擺放了數百個手工精細的青花瓷茶罐和姜罐，令人賞心悅目。入夜後，酒店更像一顆閃閃發光的寶石，三樓的活動空間會閃爍著由博物館水晶吊燈閃耀的光線——無論在室內，還是在巿中心的街道看進來都一樣夢幻。從主宴會廳延伸出來的戶外露台亦有設計講究的岩石花園和園林，還有一道現代的「蜂牆」，擺放以當造蜂蜜製成的手工蜂蜜和天然潤唇膏。種種亞洲的文化和藝術視覺語言營造出天堂般的仙境，讓它成為這座繁華城巿一片綠洲，每間客房都讓人暫時遠離繁囂，彷彿置身世外桃源。

The Shangri-La Suite on the 17th floor features an exquisite set of wooden screened moon doors in the master bedroom, a signature element of classical Chinese architecture.

位於17樓的香格里拉套房主人房以古雅的木屏風打造「月門」，呈現中國古典建築藝術的精髓。

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