Silver A' Design Award in Interior Space and Exhibition Design Goes to Anteroom Naha Hotel by Uds Ltd.

The Work

Project

Anteroom Naha Hotel

Function

Hotel

Category

Interior Space and Exhibition Design

Discipline

Spatial Design

Industry

Architecture and Packaging & Retail

Colors

Light Gray, Silver, Dark Gray, Gray and Gainsboro

Images

5

Client

Hotel Anteroom

The Recognition

Laureate

Uds Ltd.

Country

Japan

Recognition

Silver A' Design Award

Edition

2020 - 2021

Design ID

#122499

Credits

Team

Norito Nakahara, Koichi Tomiyama, Anna Naganuma, Anna Oide, Dao Tran Ai Nhi, Tang Ke, Satoshi Koizumi, Jyunya Yamashita, Yusaku Takahashi, Kumiko Fujisawa, ARG Ltd., RAYDESIGN INC., sandwichi Inc., Mio Yamato, UMA / desing farm, Okinawa UDS Ltd. and ASAKA co.,Ltd.

Image Credits

All images: Nakasa and Partners Inc.

Design Details

Unique Properties

Hotel Anteroom Naha aims to revitalize its neighborhood community through collaboration with contemporary art and its local culture. Inspired by the white cube space of galleries, the interior design is intended to be simple and minimal, which allows guests to focus on the artworks exhibited throughout the hotel. The façade, interior, and furniture were designed in close collaboration with artists, which convert the space itself into a piece of art.

Inspiration

As the project site is in a relatively deserted area, a unique and distinctive accommodation facility was necessary to create a new clientele. Therefore, the Hotel Anteroom brand has been extended to Naha, its brand signature is to merge the hotel and art seamlessly. The entire hotel takes on the role of a gallery, the artworks are showcased throughout the building, it creates an opportunity for the guests to enjoy art in an out-of-the-ordinary setting and allows them to participate in a one-of-a-kind accommodation experience.

Research

The site's neighborhood has long been classified as a low-income area, there are very few hotels or other business facilities that attracted visitors. Through the research, our team discovered the fact that there are not enough galleries in the Naha region where contemporary art can be exhibited properly. Therefore, by creating a hotel that combines an art gallery in this location, this project aims to create a facility that serves as a place of interaction between guests and locals while contributing to the local art community.

Challenge

Taking advantage of starting a building from the ground up, the project started a collaboration with artists from the early stages of design and was challenged to create an architecture that also is an art installation. The façade was designed in collaboration with Kohei Nawa, the pattern of the GRC panels was inspired by his artwork series "Direction" in the attempt to showcase the entire building as an artwork. Other spaces like the entrance hall and concept suites were also made in collaboration with the artists.

Realization and Technology

The minimal interior finishes like skeleton ceiling, mortar floor, and plain white paint on walls are utilized to emphasize the view of the harbor and art pieces on display. The design of the guest room was inspired by the ship, the furniture is detailed with round shapes, and the color of the space is toned in blue-gray pallets of the sea. The exterior walls are constructed with Glass fiber reinforced concrete panels, which can be flexibly shaped while retaining their durability. It serves as a protection against the tropical sun and wind, while it is the largest art installation of the facility.

Operation and Interaction

The hotel’s gallery will regularly host exhibitions and provide opportunities for upcoming artists to showcase their works. Market events featuring local small businesses are organized regularly as well, to make the facility a place for interaction between guests and locals. The hotel also contains multiple concept rooms that were designed in collaboration with artists, the number of concept rooms will increase in coming years, to continue to encourage young artists of Okinawa.

Project Duration and Location

The project has started in April 2016 in Naha city, Okinawa, Japan. Naha is the largest city in Okinawa, a prefecture comprising more than 150 islands in the East China Sea between Taiwan and Japan's mainland. Okinawa is known for its tropical climate, broad beaches, and coral reefs, as well as World War II sites. The hotel is completed and started its operation in February 2020.

Specifications

The project is a 7 floors building of a steel-framed structure, 5756 square meters of total floor area, consists of 126 guest rooms, a restaurant, a bar lounge, a gallery, and a roof-top area.

Keywords

Hotel, Anteroom, Naha, Okinawa, Art, Culture, Community, UDS, Collaboration, Art Hotel, Design Hotel