With more than 80 properties worldwide, The Ritz-Carlton has long been a leader in the luxury hotel market. SOM has designed several projects for the venerable company, including this 250-room, five-star hotel in booming Beijing.

A curved tower with an eye-catching glass façade, the building rises from a prominent site within Beijing Finance Street, a mixed-use zone that SOM also master planned. The 800,000-square-meter district, now a city landmark, was built in anticipation of the 2008 Summer Olympics and is often referred to as “China’s Wall Street.”

Guests at The Ritz-Carlton enjoy upscale amenities within an exquisitely appointed space. Features include several restaurants, a ballroom, a business center, and a health center with a pool. The tower’s slender footprint maximizes views to the park below and the historic city in the distance. In keeping with the distinguished presence of the hotel, the surrounding grounds are carefully landscaped, offering a transition from the tower to an adjacent retail promenade.