Itomachi Hotel 0 Hotelindretning by Ikuma Watase

Itomachi Hotel 0 Hotelindretning by Ikuma Watase is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award i Jern in Indretning og Udstillingsdesign Competition Category.

JernIndretning· 2025

Itomachi Hotel 0 Hotelindretning

by Ikuma Watase

Client: Ikuma Watase

A' Design Award i Jern Winner in Indretning Category

8,650

Verified Award Winner

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Colors

The Design

About Itomachi Hotel 0 Hotelindretning

Itomachi Hotel 0 er et hotel med indendørs- og landskabsdesign beliggende i Saijo, Japan. Hotellet anvender solcelleanlæg og økologiske materialer og er det første hotel i Japan, der er certificeret som en Net Zero Energy Building. Designet er baseret på to lokale ressourcer, Uchinuki-grundvand hentet fra brønde og Iyo Blue Stone. Hvert gæsteværelse har en åben håndvask vendt mod indgangen, og Uchinuki er også placeret i den centrale gårdhave, så lyden af vand kan høres i hele hotellet. Designet understøtter revitaliseringen af byen.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award i Jern

Itomachi Hotel 0 Hotelindretning er vinder af A' Design Award i Jern, en prestigefyldt anerkendelse, der tildeles gode designs, som opfylder de professionelle og industrielle krav, man forventer af veldesignede skabelser. Jernvinderne viser stor dygtighed, høj specialisering, ekspertforståelse og kreativ kapacitet hos deres skabere. Itomachi Hotel 0 Hotelindretning forventes at være en højt estimeret, beundret og kær skabelse, der er praktisk og innovativ. Dette design, der har vundet A' Design Award i Jern, integrerer branchens bedste praksis og har kompetente tekniske egenskaber knyttet til knowhow og talent. Itomachi Hotel 0 Hotelindretning respekteres for sin grundighed og er designet til at levere forbedringer af livskvaliteten, der er med til at gøre verden til et bedre sted.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Itomachi Hotel 0 is a zero-energy hotel that has adopted solar power systems and ecological materials, making it the first in Japan to obtain Net Zero Energy Building(ZEB) certification. The design is based on local cultural and environmental resources, specifically Uchinuki (groundwater from well) and Iyo Blue Stone, with the goal of creating a foundation for the revitalization of the town as a symbol of Saijo.
Dimensions & Packaging: In this project, it was possible to propose not only the interior design but also the landscape design as a unified concept.
Therefore, Uchinuki was placed not only in the guest rooms but also in the center of the courtyard, planned so that the sound of water always echoes throughout the hotel.
The color scheme was based on the use of light and dark tones of stone in each space.
All guests to allways experience the local character and charms of Saijo wherever they are in the hotel.
Tags: Hotel, interior, landscape, sustainable, recycling, Renewable Energy, Net Zero Energy Building, SDGs
Production Technology: The layout of the guest rooms was centered around Uchinuki. Each guest room features an open-format washbasin directly across from the entrance, creating a symbolic that evokes the abundant water resources.
The villa type has an open-air bath with natural hot spring water that comes from a deeper stratum than Uchinuki. Guests can experience cold and hot types of water, which is a rare environmental resource of Saijo.
Design Challenge: Japan is facing a serious population decline, particularly in rural areas where urban decay is evident through the increasing number of vacant houses and abandoned farmland. Saijo is experiencing similar challenges, and the project owner, originally from Saijo, was seeking solutions.
In response, we thought that by designing the hotel based on Uchinuki and Iyo Blue Stone, guests could experience the charm of Saijo, and the hotel could serve as a symbol for the revitalization of the town.
Research: Saijo does not have tourist attractions like those found in Tokyo or Kyoto. However, it boasts a pleasant climate and a rich rural landscape nestled between mountains and the sea, making it an ideal location for urban workers seeking workation opportunities and for people living in nearby cities for a second home.
Therefore, we planed kitchen and co-working space, rare for hotels.
As a result, the hotel is used by many business guests who aim to "spending time in this town, at this hotel".
Inspiration: The region utilizes underground water from wells called "Uchinuki," unique to the area due to the local terrain, and there is no conventional water supply system as found elsewhere in Japan. This water is very clean and can be consumed directly.
The area is also known for producing "Iyo Blue Stone," which has a bluish-green hue with white stripes. The stone changes from a light tone when dry to a darker tone when wet.
These two unique resources were used as design keywords for the design.
Project Duration: The project started in November 2021 in Ehime,Japan and finished in March 2024, and ITOMACHI HOTEL 0 was opened in May 2024.
Operation Flow: we proposed ecological design that combines natural resources such as Uchinuki and Iyo Blue Stone with sustainable materials made from recycled glass and fibers, as well as traditional local crafts like washi paper and ceramics.
This hotel is committed not only to maintaining the environment during its construction but also to contributing to job creation for local residents and increasing the town's revenue, thereby supporting the revitalization of the community for years to come.
Image Credits: Image#1-5: Photographer Yoshiro Masuda,2024.