Swire Hotels engages Eight Hong Kong to create two restaurant brands for The Middle House

Swire Hotels has engaged Eight Hong Kong to create two restaurant brands for The Middle House, their new hotel and residences in Shanghai. In particular, Eight created the name and visual identity for the Chinese restaurant and the visual identity for the hotel’s Italian restaurant. “Swire Hotels is one of the most design-focused hotel brands, especially in Asia, and we are delighted to work with them on these high-visibility projects,” said Chris Fjelddahl, Partner.

Designed by Italian architect Piero Lissoni, The Middle House is Swire Hotel’s fourth property under The House Collective family and their sixth hotel in Asia. Its name is woven closely to its sister properties – The Upper House in Hong Kong, The Opposite House in Beijing and The Temple House in Chengdu. It also refers to the historic district of Dazhongli where it is located.

For the Chinese restaurant, Eight developed the name Sui Tang Li which is a reference to the two dynasties, the Sui and the Tang, which marked a cultural peak in the history of China. In addition, the name has a connotation of ease and relaxation, which correlates with the atmosphere of a club. Eight then developed the visual identity, drawing inspiration from the signature spiral staircase designed by Lissoni that connects three levels within the building.

The name of the Italian restaurant, Frasca, which means ‘branch’ in Italian, refers to the concept of dining outdoors in vineyards. As a result, Eight developed a visual identity reminiscent of vines and leaves. The logo is a combination of symbols for a roof, a glass of wine and a platter. Eight also worked with Frasca to create collaterals for the restaurant, the interiors of which were designed by Italian stylist and creative consultant, Cristina Vignoli.