Trunk Hotel / Keiji Ashizawa Design

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https://www.archdaily.com/1008516/trunk-hotel-keiji-ashizawa-design
© Tomooki Kengaku

Text description provided by the architects. TRUNK(HOTEL) YOYOGI PARK, located in Tomigaya, Tokyo, is a 7-story boutique hotel with 25 guest rooms, including 5 suites, a rooftop & lounge that overlooks the lush green Yoyogi Park, and a restaurant on the ground floor. For this project, we were tasked with the architecture and interior design, FFE selections, and some of the styling for all spaces.

The project began in the summer of 2019. The site is located in a stylish and relaxed residential neighborhood in Tomigaya, within walking distance from the bustling areas of Shibuya. Our client approached us with the ambition to create a one-and-only space that would inherit TRUNK’s DNA while being located right in front of Tokyo’s iconic Yoyogi Park. With professional creators from Japan and abroad as the target audience, we began to develop a hotel for the neighborhood that would also allow city dwellers to enjoy the space.

The concept of the hotel is “Urban Recharge.” To realize this throughout the spaces, we designed an infinity pool that frames a beautiful view of Yoyogi Park, a pool bar serving oysters, an Italian restaurant open to the city, and compact but relaxing guestrooms. The balcony, one of the significant features of the hotel’s architectural facade and guest rooms, is visually connected to the park and the city by distinctive handrails that create the impression of the hotel as a whole.

Concrete, used for exterior and interior walls, is also the structure of the building. The raw material is visible from the exterior, creating a neat and calm appearance through the unique rhythm of its construction as a module structure. At the same time, a sense of unity between the interior and exterior is maintained by appearing on the walls of the corridors and interior. The contrast between the softness of the interior design and the raw concrete creates a unique atmosphere. The distinctive appearance of the washed-out concrete exterior is in perfect harmony with the park’s trees and the hotel’s integrated greenery, making an impression as if the building has been here for a long time.

For the design of the interior and accompanying objects, we collaborated with Norm Architects to create new furniture for each space from scratch. In particular, small lounge chairs in the guest rooms, outdoor lounge chairs on the balcony, and sofas and lounge chairs with water-repellent upholstery at the pool bar were newly designed and manufactured by Japanese furniture brands Karimoku and Ariake. Alongside the furniture, the custom carpet was newly made by Hotta Carpet in Osaka to suit the space. Bespoke wall lamps were created in collaboration with copper plate artist Eiko Miki, and small pendant lights by Kojima Shoten in Kyoto for the entrance and rooms – adding to the distinct Japanese essence yet with a contemporary feeling. We aimed to create a sense of harmony throughout the space by designing the furniture and all detailed elements, such as the handles and other small parts that make up the interior.

In reality, working towards creating a “one and only hotel” was no easy task. It required many professionals to be involved in the project, where we had six architects, interior designers, and furniture designers from our studio. They worked closely with the TRUNK atelier team, Norm Architects, and various professionals such as structural engineers, lighting designers, gardeners, and stylists. Together, we built the hotel, which finally opened in September 2023. We are very pleased to be able to recommend this hotel in Tokyo to our overseas friends and clients. And upon your visit, we would like to hear your thoughts on whether it is truly “one and only” or not.