The Flow Kamakura Hotel

Press Kit

Unique Properties

The Flow Kamakura is located close to historical tourist attractions such as temples and shrines and the beach. As a vacation rental-style hotel, it is a safe and secure option in the COVID-19 pandemic. Delivery from partnered local cafes and restaurants are available, which brings new business opportunities to the local community.

Dimensions & Packaging

The Flow Kamakura is a three-story wooden building with 60 ㎡ on the first floor, 52 ㎡ on the second floor, and 47 ㎡ on the third floor, for a total area of 160 ㎡.
Since there are many two-story residential buildings in the surrounding area, the three-story building allows for a view of the ocean and Mt.Fuji. The location is only a 30-second walk from the ocean.

Tags

Japan, Hotel, Rental villa, Design, Mt.Fuji, Sea, Nature, Surf, History

Production Technology

By combining ancient Japanese textures and techniques, such as plastering, wood, and ceilings inspired by temples, with modern tiles and other materials, the design aims to capture the unique context of Kamakura, with its "historical aura" and "modern surf lifestyle”. The furniture and furnishings are also a marriage of antique and modern, creating a place that embodies the concept "The Flow".

Design Challenge

The Flow Kamakura is a wooden building that is susceptible to sound, it was a challenge to ensure hotel-grade sound insulation performance.
Since the building is located in a residential area, we had to think carefully about how to provide a resort experience in this environment. We were able to create a new residential-style resort with careful layout of the windows, louvers, plantings, and top lights that let in light while blocking the line of sight.

Project Duration

The project started in September 2019 in Kamakura City, Kanagawa Prefecture, and was completed on March 29, 2021, with operations commencing on April 14, 2021. The site of this project is one of Japan's most popular tourist destinations, with many important historical cultural sites such as the Great Buddha and Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine built in the 12-13th century.

Operation Flow

The Flow Kamakura is an unmanned hotel with no reception desk, guests can experience it as if it were their own vacation home without meeting other people. It is also equipped with more electrical outlets than most hotels and whiteboards, which allows workation usage with your colleagues or friends. This is a hotel that embodies the modern lifestyle, where you can both work and play in a high-designed space.

Research

Through staying at the neighboring hotels, vacation rental hotels, and villas in Bali, we researched function, design, and the sense of the extraordinary. By incorporating not only modern design aesthetics but also historical techniques and methods, we were able to incorporate the rich local context into a villa stay experience.

Inspiration

The design concept "The Flow" was chosen to take advantage of its prime location in a scenic area with many temples and shrines, and abundant nature of the hills and beaches. It was designed so that guests can spend quality time freely while enjoying the history, nature, and tranquility of the locale. For the interior, plastering, indoor plants, antique furniture, and modern furniture were interwoven to create a comfortable space fostered by the richness of nature and history of Kamakura.
To create a resort hotel in a residential area, windows, louvers, and top lights were installed to let in the breeze, lighting, and scenery while screening off the immediate surroundings as much as possible. As there are many two-story residential buildings in the neighborhood, we decided to build a three-story building with a rooftop terrace to access the rich scenery. By taking advantage of the residential location, the rooftop terrace offers a view of the ocean, mountains, and Mount Fuji without the business of the city.

Image Credits

#Main: Photographer, Shinsui Ohara, Freelance, 2021
#1: Photographer, Shinsui Ohara, Freelance, 2021
#2: Photographer, Shinsui Ohara, Freelance, 2021
#3: Photographer, Shinsui Ohara, Freelance, 2021
#4: Photographer, Shinsui Ohara, Freelance, 2021

Patents

Copyrights belong to UDS Ltd. 2021.

Colors of The Flow Kamakura Hotel