20,000 Leagues Under the Lake

StudioGlam once again outdoes itself by reimagining hospitality not as a static interior, but as a carefully choreographed immersive fantasy walking tour. At Moxy Qiandao Lake, design is not applied to simply make spaces look good — it becomes a narrative medium, transforming the hotel into an experiential landscape where architecture, movement, and storytelling take center stage.

Grounded in extensive research into Qiandao Lake’s local history and mythology, the project draws inspiration from the legendary ancient cities said to lie submerged beneath the water’s surface. Rather than recreating these stories literally, StudioGlam translates them into spatial experiences. Guests are invited to move through the hotel as modern explorers, navigating a sequence of environments that evoke descent, discovery, and resurfacing — closer to experiential entertainment than conventional hospitality design.

Throughout the public areas, themed elements operate as narrative cues. Submarine-like spatial moments suggest underwater exploration; lenticular graphics animate walls with divers that appear to flip and swim upward as guests walk past, creating a subtle illusion of motion through water. Elsewhere, ancient city arches are turned upside down and reimagined as sculptural seating, deliberately unsettling orientation while reinforcing the dreamlike journey.

Movement is central to the design. Circulation becomes storytelling, with spaces unfolding as a continuous sequence rather than isolated zones. Shifting from darker, immersive moments to brighter, socially charged areas, the hotel encourages guests to wander, pause, and engage. In doing so, it becomes a place where visitors do not simply stay, but begin to ask questions — learning about local culture through experience rather than explanation.

With 20,000 Leagues Under the Lake, Moxy Qiandao Lake challenges the conventions of generic hospitality. By merging local mythology, contemporary design, and playful irreverence, StudioGlam creates a hotel that is immersive, culturally rooted, and entirely unexpected — not a backdrop for travel, but an experience in its own right.