ITOMACHI HOTEL 0
Japan 2023

Itomachi Hotel 0

2023.5
Ehime
Hospitality
Completed
2,996
2F / 2BF

We designed a Zero Energy hotel as a community hub for the city of Saijo which is known as a source of clean “Uchinuki” well water from Mt. Ishizuchi, considered to be a sacred mountain.
In 2016, KENGO KUMA LABORATORY at the University of Tokyo began creating a master plan for new environmentally-friendly cities based on the theme of water entitled the “Itomachi Project” in close cooperation with partners in each locale. Workshops have been conducted with local residents, individual architectural competitions have been held for young architects, and the “Itomachi” network has been built based on these processes.
The “Itomachi” network was used as a node and symbol to design this hotel as a new base of exchange with a new post coronavirus pandemic age lifestyle that transcends the solving of global environmental problems.
The reception wing that is open to the community is completely separated from the lodging wing, and a large “garden” was created in the area between them from which pure “Uchinuki” water bubbles out, which is utilized as an outdoor living room and performance space for events.
This consists of an attempt to expand the definition of hotels using the “garden” concept.

Design Cooperation:Takumi Saikawa Architects
Interior Design:Dugout Architects

Team Minoru Yokoo, Takumi Saikawa* Construction Cool Design, LTD Cooperation Ohno Japan Facility Kankyo Engineering, Factor M Exterior Dugout Architects Illumination Spangle Award Good Design Award 2024 (Itomachi Hotel 0) Publication Nikkei Architecture 2024/03/28 No.1260 , Casa BRUTUS 2023/09 Vol.281 , Shoten Kenchiku 2023/08 , Shinkenchiku 2018/12 , Shinkenchiku 2017/6 , Shinkenchiku 2016/12 Photography ©︎ Masaki Hamada / Kkpo