A new hotel project drawn
with a young sensibility in historic Kyoto.

How did you get involved in this project?

Originally I had an acquaintance with the owner, but since the owner has many acquaintances with the design office, I am one of them. However, this time, I was asked to speak to me, who is younger in age. It seems that you wanted to build this hotel with a young sensibility.

I have known Mr. Yamaryo for a long time. I was in charge of furniture coordination in a different project from the owner before, so it seems that my name was mentioned as this project progressed, so I decided to take charge of it. We are a company that mainly deals with antique furniture in Europe rather than specializing in hotel furniture, but since we have our own workshop and also have craftsmen, we can also make counters and fittings. I will. I think that was the reason why I was called out.

Share images with each other
and cross opinions to achieve a single correct answer.

How did you proceed with the project?

If the start of the project is 1 and the completion of the project is 10, I think Mr. Seto joined the project at about the 4th or 5th stage. The design plan was decided, the room plan was decided, and the overall design was decided to some extent. From then on, Mr. Seto participated in the meetings with the client.

When I was approached, the overall concept had been decided and a realistic 3D perspective had been created, so it was easy to share the image of what kind of hotel we were trying to create.

By that time, the concept of "Japanese + Modern" had been solidified, and Mr. Seto suggested wooden furniture (moku). I then chose the wall cloths to match the furniture, and we worked together to match our images. From that time on, we started to propose to the client what we had worked out through repeated exchanges between us, rather than having meetings with the client. Also, in order to share the image with the client, we drew the most CG perspective ever. This time, we also created VR data so that the client could see the finished product as if they were actually moving around the hotel.

Thanks to the VR created by Mr. Yamaryo, it was much easier for us to make proposals. For example, when it comes to choosing a sofa, the client can't make a decision even if we only show them a picture of the sofa. You can only make a judgment if you can see how the sofa will look when it is placed in the actual hotel space and when you walk in through the entrance. In that sense, this VR was really useful. I think it must have been very difficult to make (laughs).

The pursuit of a perfect balance
between harmony and style, and comfort of use.

What were you particularly particular about this time?

Of course, we chose furniture with a design that fits the concept and makes the hotel look more beautiful, but what we paid special attention to was the usability. If a refrigerator is to be placed next to the desk, the desk and chair must be chosen with the placement of the refrigerator in mind, so we proposed what we thought was best. The reception counter for this hotel was made from scratch in our workshop to match the overall concept. The same goes for the luggage stand in front of the reception desk. We made it after visiting various hotels and actually placing business bags and travel bags on it to verify the size and height.

Since the hotel is located in Kyoto, we had the theme of "Japanese" from the beginning. However, we didn't want to make it just an ordinary "Japanese" hotel, so we proposed a "Japanese + stylish" design with a modern touch. For example, the latticework on the exterior is designed by randomly combining pieces of wood of different colors and thicknesses. I think this gives a modern impression that is different from ordinary lattices. The corridor leading from the entrance to the reception desk is also stylishly designed with lighting on the wall, but the lighting is not straightforward. Since this is in Kyoto, there are many buildings with lattices and bamboo around the area, but I hope people can feel the difference from them.

Creating an uncompromising, customer-first space
that embodies the spirit of hospitality.

What was the most memorable thing about the client's order?

The client did not make too many detailed requests and basically left it up to us. However, the entrance, the face of the hotel, is an important place to welcome guests when they come all the way to the hotel, so he asked us to put special emphasis on it. Therefore, we designed the entrance door with Itoya lattices in the style of a Kyoto machiya (traditional townhouse) to give a sense of the beginning of hospitality. Both sides of the pathway are planted with plants, and the walls are covered with ceramic siding that was fired one by one in a kiln. The walls are made of kiln-fired ceramic siding, which is hidden behind the plants, so you may not see it closely, but the colors and the way they shine are all different, giving it a unique texture.

However, when I saw that the client was particular about the typeface used for the room license plate, I remember that I was determined to make a good proposal without compromising on the details. I remember that I was determined to make good proposals without compromising on any details. Because they trusted us, we couldn't make anything inferior. I had to pay attention to the smallest details and direct the work with an eye on the finished product so that it would not deviate from the overall concept. That's how I proceeded with my work. I think Mr. Yamaryo felt the same way.