At The Opposite House Beijing, I tenderly walked barefoot on wood

For many people, their dream house would be a place that reflects their character and taste, where they have travelled or what their interests are. While this is usually a dream that may take long to come to fruition for them (if, indeed, at all), it was at The Opposite House in Beijing that I found the answer to my own dream.

The Opposite House is just 21km from the Beijing International Airport, so it was seemed a sensible idea to hop straight into a taxi, hoping to arrive in 30 minutes (as the travel guide suggested we would). Now, most people have a horror story to relate when it comes to taxi-rides in foreign countries, but ours turned out to be a most delightful episode in our trip.

As foreigners, we were quite surprised to learn that our taxi driver didn’t quite know where The Opposite House was. How could he possibly not know, particularly as it is situated right in the village of Sanlitun – a thriving new area for bars, clubs and brand-name stores, so popular with expats and locals?

Lucky though, he knew how to get to 'the green building’, which turns out to be how many people refer to The Opposite House. In the end, although he ended up taking us on a longer route, it gave us the chance to take a fresh look at OMA’s stunning CCTV headquarters ... something which our colleagues who had taken other taxis didn't get to see!

The Opposite House was designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. This emerald glass-façade building is an urban oasis compared to its neighbours, all grey glass and dull. His very first hotel project, Kuma managed to curate an extraordinary spatial experience.

Opening the wooden gate and stepping into this green glass box, light, shadow and space intertwine throughout, suggesting two contrasting faces by day and at night, both of them intriguing and appealing in equal measure.

Right by the reception sits an artistic cabinet resembling a Chinese herbal medicine cupboard, tempting guests to open every drawer. A truly out-of-the-box design, the lobby is arranged into an art gallery with a ample exhibition space. Playful, detailed design continues through to the guestrooms, of which I stayed in Studio 318. Along the corridors are recycled wood plank flooring and walls. Inside the rooms, an open-plan design combines simplicity with individuality and impact, and are immediately accessible (meaning that, unlike too many other hotels, you don't need to spend 15 minutes trying to fathom how the light switches work or where everything is located at The Opposite House).

Material choices are dainty but not fussy. Surrounded by natural wooden floors, I felt a pang of guilt if I kept my shoes on – only in my bare feet could I relax and feel close to nature, with the texture of the wood almost kissing my soles. The deep oak soaking tub in the bathroom was a definite 'love at first sight' moment for me, too.

Look at the bigger picture, Kuma's out-of-the-box design is in fact not so eccentric at all; from spatial arrangement, careful planning and attention to details, it has the welfare of guests taken into consideration, which conjures a strong impression of a friendly community... other hospitality or even residential projects could learn a lot from The Opposite House in this sense.