Reinterpreting the ryokan: Japanese architects embrace tradition for modern leisure designs
Several high-profile Japanese architects have told CLAD how Japan’s traditional country inns are inspiring contemporary designs for lodgings as diverse as urban hostels and five-star resorts.
In a special CLADmag feature on ryokans – the name for roadside accommodations where guests can take a relaxing break from travelling – architect Yukio Hashimoto revealed that a “modern Japanese interpretation” of traditional architectural practices is becoming prevalent in the country.
Last year Hashimoto completed a renovation of the 32-room Chikusenso hot springs resort in Miyagi Prefecture, mixing traditional ryokan features with a contemporary twist.
“Combining traditional Japanese design with modern materials creates something unique, something that can only exist here,” he said. “For sliding partitions, traditionally we use paper, but I used kimono fabric. That’s a new experiment – I think it creates a more contemporary feeling in the space and gives new relevance to something traditional.”
In other modern flourishes, Hashimoto added floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the surrounding forest and a bright red lacquered tub “art piece” to one the bathrooms. These sit alongside more traditional touches, such as a large Japanese-style iron bell in the living area, a courtyard with a bubbling stream and hot spring baths placed around existing trees outside.
Tokyo-based practice Nikken Sekkei took a similar approach to a much bigger project: the 134-room seven-storey Ritz Carlton Kyoto, which opened last year. Despite its size, lead architect Hiroaki Otani told CLAD the studio approached the project “as a private guest house.”
The hotel’s short stature – created by housing three floors underground – long, horizontal form and overhanging roof gives it a traditionally demure presence. The designers also included traditional ryokan features, such as intricate balustrades, water features and a garden incorporating the background landscape.
“Historically, it was actually Japanese architects who thought the least highly of the architectural value of Japanese culture,” said Otani. “Now there’s a new sense of pride in our unique architectural culture. They probably realised the obvious truth – that architectural culture cannot be separated from the climate and history of a place.”
Architect Masayuki Irie, who has designed a lantern-shaped hostel in eastern Tokyo using modern fire-resistant materials, agreed. “In an information society where embodiment is slipping away, traditional forms help bring people a peace of mind,” he told CLAD.
“However, it’s rational that during all eras in history buildings have been made from the materials created in that era. [These days], things like iron and glass will always be the main materials for building.”
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Architecture design ryokans Japan Ritz Carlton CLADmag hotels hospitality Tokyo
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