The hotel integrates nature into the architecture and blurs the lines between indoor and outdoor living. The building is placed towards the main road to minimize impact on the nature but also to benefit from the rocks as well as the flat terrain at the proposed location. The arrangement of the rooms allows for targeted, manifold views and integrates the existing trees and rocks harmoniously into the experience. The design consists out of four separate volumes, divided into living area & kitchen, spa & Hiroma, as well as two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms. The volumes are connected at their ends, creating a central axis. Since the site does not offer a clear visual orientation, the arrangement of the volumes creates a variety of individual spatial experiences and views, each offering different qualities. Each of the four spaces has its own balcony, oriented in all cardinal directions, depending on its position and program.

The balconies incorporate the existing trees and rocks into their experience. The arrangement of the volumes also create courtyards, including the existing trees, offering intriguing visual connections between the rooms. The roof plays a special role in the design, dynamically breaking up the rectangular volumes. At one corner of each room, the roof curves upwards, creating different room heights and qualities, allowing the architecture to naturally blend with the surroundings through curated views. This design recalls traditional Japanese roof forms, creating a bridge between contemporary and vernacular architecture. The concept of scattered volumes is flexible and applicable to different program or site conditions. The core of the building includes MEP and storage space but also provides a vertical connection between the two levels.

Guests arrive underneath the main volume with two parking lots. An open staircase/ elevator brings the visitors to the first floor into the main and biggest volume: the living room with kitchen and fireplace are the center of the arrangement. Adjacent and in close connection the Hiroma extends the living space but also creates a more intimate hideaway. The Spa is located next to it and can be used as lounge or TV area after the Sauna. The two guestrooms are located on both ends of the arrangement to maximize privacy. By breaking up the spatial program into smaller units, the architecture integrates unobtrusively into the environment. The large glass surfaces give guests the feeling of floating among the trees, offering an immersive experience of nature.

Competition

Location:
Kitakaruizawa,
Japan

Area:
250 m²

Project Year:
2024

Team:
Martino Hutz

Mohammed-Ali Bekakria

Balthasar Unger