Skip to content
Itomachi Hotel 0 Dizajn interijera hotela by Ikuma Watase

Itomachi Hotel 0 Dizajn interijera hotela by Ikuma Watase is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Željezna nagrada A' Design Award in Dizajn Unutarnjeg Prostora i Izložbi Competition Category.


ŽeljezoInterijer· 2025

Itomachi Hotel 0 Dizajn interijera hotela

by Ikuma Watase

Client: Ikuma Watase

Željezna nagrada A' Design Award Winner in Interijer Category

Colors

The Design

About Itomachi Hotel 0 Dizajn interijera hotela

Itomachi Hotel 0 je dizajn interijera i krajobraza hotela smještenog u Saiju, Japan. Hotel koristi solarne energetske sustave i ekološke materijale te je prvi hotel u Japanu certificiran kao zgrada s neto nultom energetskom potrošnjom. Dizajn se temelji na dva lokalna resursa: podzemnoj vodi Uchinuki, crpljenoj iz bunara, i kamenu Iyo Blue Stone. Svaka gostinjska soba ima otvoreni umivaonik okrenut prema ulazu, a Uchinuki voda postavljena je i u središnjem dvorištu, tako da se zvuk vode čuje diljem hotela. Dizajn podržava revitalizaciju grada.

The Recognition

About the Željezna nagrada A' Design Award

Itomachi Hotel 0 Dizajn interijera hotela je pobjednik Željezne nagrade A' Design Award, prestižnog priznanja koje se dodjeljuje dobrim dizajnima što ispunjavaju profesionalne i industrijske zahtjeve očekivane od dobro dizajniranih kreacija. Željezni pobjednici pokazuju veliku vještinu, visoku specijalizaciju, stručno razumijevanje i kreativne kapacitete svojih stvaratelja. Očekuje se da Itomachi Hotel 0 Dizajn interijera hotela bude visoko cijenjena, voljena i njegovana kreacija koja je praktična i inovativna. Ovaj dizajn koji je osvojio Željeznu nagradu A' Design Award integrira najbolje industrijske prakse i ima kompetentne tehničke karakteristike povezane sa znanjem i talentom. Itomachi Hotel 0 Dizajn interijera hotela se poštuje zbog svoje temeljitosti i dizajniran je da pruži poboljšanja kvalitete života koja pomažu da svijet postane bolje mjesto.

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.

Sponsored

Explore Beyond Designers.org

Discover products, services and opportunities from our advertising partners.

Good Design Deserves Great Recognition

Nominate Your Work for the A' Design Award.

Nominate