Grand Interview
OMO5 Hakodate Hotel · 10 Froen
The stained-glass artwork was inspired by the distinctive landscapes of Hakodate discovered through extensive local research.
The stained-glass artwork welcoming guests at the entrance of OMO5 Hakodate by Hoshino Resorts Hotel is a breathtaking gesture that immediately signals the depth of cultural storytelling embedded in the entire property, and what was the creative journey behind translating Hakodate's most iconic landmarks into this large-scale artistic centrepiece, and in what way did this singular artwork establish the overarching design narrative that guests would encounter throughout the rest of the hotel?
The stained-glass artwork was inspired by the distinctive landscapes of Hakodate discovered through extensive local research. We incorporated iconic elements such as the night view from Mount Hakodate, the star-shaped Goryokaku, the fishing port, squid-fishing lights, red-brick warehouses, and the stained-glass windows of Motomachi churches. Rather than depicting a single landmark, the artwork expresses the collective identity of Hakodate and introduces the concept of "120% Hakodate" that unfolds throughout the hotel.
OMO5 Hakodate by Hoshino Resorts Hotel is built around a concept that might be described as giving travelers an experience of Hakodate that exceeds even their most ambitious expectations, and given how strongly today's hospitality audiences seek genuine local immersion rather than generic comfort, how did the design team determine which specific threads of Hakodate's cultural, historical, and sensory identity were most essential to weave into the physical fabric of the hotel?
Rather than selecting famous landmarks alone, we focused on the scenes that collectively shape Hakodate's identity. Through local research, we discovered recurring elements such as the night view, the port, fishing lights, historic architecture, and local food culture. These experiences engage visitors visually and emotionally, allowing the hotel to feel connected to the city rather than separated from it.
The buffet restaurant at OMO5 Hakodate by Hoshino Resorts Hotel draws direct inspiration from the star-shaped geometry of the Goryokaku Fort and the atmospheric energy of the morning fish market, incorporating squid-hanging lanterns and pendant lights fashioned from fishing nets, and how did Fumihiko Fujii navigate the delicate challenge of transforming these highly specific local references into genuinely functional interior design elements without reducing them to the level of mere themed decoration?
The star-shaped geometry of Goryokaku presented a unique challenge because the live kitchen had to function efficiently while maintaining the symbolic form. We carefully integrated buffet circulation, kitchen operations, and service requirements into the geometry. Similarly, fishing nets and squid-fishing lamps were reinterpreted as lighting elements that contribute both atmosphere and functionality rather than serving as decorative references alone.
Winning the Silver A' Design Award, one of the most internationally recognized honours in the field and presented by the A' Design Award and Competition, which evaluates hospitality design against criteria including local context integration and guest experience enhancement, is a significant validation of the design vision behind OMO5 Hakodate by Hoshino Resorts Hotel, and reflecting on those exact criteria, how do you believe OMO5 Hakodate by Hoshino Resorts Hotel has contributed to a broader conversation about what it truly means for a hotel to belong to its city rather than simply occupy a location within it?
I believe a hotel should participate in the life of its city rather than simply provide accommodation. At OMO5 Hakodate, local stories, landscapes, and recommendations are integrated into the guest experience itself. By encouraging guests to explore the surrounding neighborhood and understand its culture, the hotel becomes a gateway to Hakodate rather than an isolated destination.
The transformation of an existing hotel into OMO5 Hakodate by Hoshino Resorts Hotel was completed across a timeline of roughly eight months, working within the constraints of an established architectural structure while simultaneously delivering a design that feels entirely purposeful and freshly conceived, and what were the most demanding creative and logistical tensions that emerged from working within that inherited framework, and how did those tensions ultimately shape the final design outcomes in ways that a blank-canvas project never could have produced?
Working within an existing building required balancing renovation constraints with a completely new identity. One of the biggest challenges was the stained-glass artwork, which alone required nearly six months of development and fabrication. The inherited structure forced us to make careful design decisions, but those limitations ultimately inspired more creative solutions and a stronger connection between old and new elements.
The "OMO Base" at OMO5 Hakodate by Hoshino Resorts Hotel is described as a public space grounded in the philosophy of designing not simply how a space looks but how guests actually inhabit and emotionally experience their time within it, and how did Fumihiko Fujii approach the process of translating such an intangible and people-centred philosophy into concrete spatial decisions about layout, materiality, lighting, and furniture that genuinely influence guest behavior and create a sense of belonging?
Designing the OMO Base began with imagining the scenes of guests' stay rather than designing objects. We considered how guests would plan their day, return from sightseeing, gather with friends, or relax alone. Layout, lighting, furniture, and materials were selected to support these activities naturally, creating a space that encourages interaction while remaining comfortable and welcoming.
The guest rooms of OMO5 Hakodate by Hoshino Resorts Hotel feature hand-painted wall illustrations of Hakodate's celebrated nightscape, turning an intimate and private space into a continuation of the city's own visual identity, and looking ahead, how does Fumihiko Fujii envision the role of locally inspired narrative art evolving within hospitality interiors, particularly as travellers increasingly seek accommodation that deepens rather than interrupts their emotional connection to the destinations they visit?
If local expression becomes too literal, hospitality spaces can feel more like tourist information centers than places of comfort. I believe narrative elements should be transformed into art rather than displayed as direct explanations. At OMO5 Hakodate, illustrations and graphics reinterpret local scenery in an emotional way, allowing guests to feel connected to the destination while still enjoying a relaxing environment.
OMO5 Hakodate by Hoshino Resorts Hotel stands as a compelling example of how rebranding and renovation, rather than new construction, can produce design work that earns international recognition such as the Silver A' Design Award, and bringing together the remarkable scope of what this project has achieved aesthetically and culturally, is there an aspect of OMO5 Hakodate by Hoshino Resorts Hotel that you feel has not yet received the attention it deserves from the broader design community, and what would you most want architects and interior designers worldwide to understand about the process behind this work?
While the project has been well received in Japan, I feel its international exposure remains limited. Beyond the visual design, what deserves greater recognition is the process of translating local culture into a complete guest experience through renovation rather than new construction. The project demonstrates that thoughtful storytelling and cultural integration can create meaningful hospitality design regardless of scale or budget.
One of the most intellectually fascinating dimensions of OMO5 Hakodate by Hoshino Resorts Hotel is the way design functions not as surface embellishment but as a carefully sequenced spatial journey, moving a guest from the grand stained-glass entrance through the communal energy of the OMO Base and into the immersive storytelling of the dining area, and in what way did Fumihiko Fujii deliberately choreograph this spatial progression to construct a deepening narrative of place that unfolds gradually as guests move through the hotel?
We carefully choreographed the guest journey to reflect changing emotional states. The entrance creates anticipation and excitement, the OMO Base encourages discovery and social interaction, and the restaurant immerses guests in Hakodate's food culture. As guests move through the hotel, the narrative gradually deepens, creating an experience that feels dynamic rather than static.
For design enthusiasts who are captivated by the intersection of regional heritage and contemporary hospitality environments, OMO5 Hakodate by Hoshino Resorts Hotel offers an exceptionally rich case study in how a single city's cultural identity can permeate every layer of a built space, and what specific design methodologies or guiding principles did Fumihiko Fujii employ to ensure that the local references woven throughout OMO5 Hakodate by Hoshino Resorts Hotel feel structurally integrated into the design thinking rather than applied as a thematic layer introduced after the core spatial decisions had already been made?
Our methodology began with understanding guest experiences and local culture simultaneously. Rather than adding regional motifs after the design was complete, we used local research to inform spatial planning, circulation, lighting, and atmosphere from the earliest stages. The goal was to shape how guests feel and behave within the hotel, allowing Hakodate's identity to emerge naturally through the entire experience.
