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    Karimoku Case lines minimalist Tokyo apartment with local wood

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    Japanese brand Karimoku Case has redesigned an apartment on a hilltop in Tokyo, using wood and a neutral colour palette to create a “calm and serene atmosphere”.

    Named Azabu Hills Residence, the project was designed by Karimoku Case – a studio developed by Karimoku Furniture in collaboration with design studios Keiji Ashizawa and Norm Architects.
    The studio used the project as an opportunity to optimise the use of local zelkova wood which is increasingly underutilised.
    The apartment features furniture made from zelkova wood”We sympathized with the story of how zelkova used to be a common material in Japan, but is now being chipped and discarded, and wished to explore the possibilities of zelkova through this project,” lead designer Keiji Ashizawa told Dezeen.
    “When I first saw the sample of it, I felt that its gentle reddish hue, along with its story, was a good match for the project,” he continued.

    “We decided to create the interior using zelkova that would come in harmony with the gentle light from the north side.”
    A neutral material palette creates a “calm and serene atmosphere”The 226-metre-square apartment was centred around a spacious, open-plan living area and dining room illuminated by floor-to-ceiling windows.
    A small workspace nestled behind a wall in the living space makes use of the spacious interior, and is furnished with a desk, chair and shelving made from zelkova wood.
    White plaster walls and wooden floors define the living spacesThe minimalist interior is defined by textured white walls and wood used for flooring, window frames and fittings, which are tied together by cream furnishings, paper lighting fixtures and decorative artwork.
    In the living space, lattice wooden screens were used to separate programmes as well as provide cross ventilation through the space to create airy interiors.

    Keiji Ashizawa designs “home-like” The Conran Shop in Hillside Terrace

    “With the residence being located in the middle of a large city like Tokyo, it was important to have a home-like atmosphere that makes you feel at ease,” Ashizawa said.
    “We were conscious of the calmness and tranquility needed to achieve this, and designed the interior with well-curated furniture, lighting, and art to create an environment for this purpose.”
    Wooden, lattice screens allow ventilation through the homeA counter made from zelkova wood divides the living space and adjacent kitchen, while also serving as an additional seating and dining space.
    Within the kitchen, cabinets built from gridded wooden frames were finished with concrete countertops, complemented by tiled terrazzo flooring that also features in the home’s entryway.
    Furnishings, paper lighting fixtures and pieces of artwork tie the interior togetherGridded wooden frames are repeated for both storage in the living area and a wall in the main bedroom where the home transitions into a cosy-feel with carpet flooring.
    A circular chair and marbled table sit in front of the bedroom’s floor-to-ceiling windows, with a study desk nestled into the corner.
    Gridded wooden frames feature in the kitchen, living space and bedroomOther recently completed projects with minimalist interiors include a dental clinic in Montreal designed to feel like “someone’s home” and a London pub converted into a pared-back jewellery showroom.
    The photography is by Tomooki Kengaku. 
    Project credits:
    Architect: Keiji Ashizawa DesignProject architect: Keiji Ashizawa / Ryota MaruyamaClient: reBITA / NTT Urban Development Coperation TokyoConstruction: TamarixFurniture collaboration: Norm ArchitectsFurniture: Karimoku CaseLighting: Kojima Shoten / Saito ShomeiLighting plan: AURORA / Yoshiki IchikawaInterior styling: Yumi Nakata

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      Keiji Ashizawa adds “residential calm” to Aloop clinic in Ginza

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      Japanese architect Keiji Ashizawa has created the interior for a skincare clinic in Tokyo, using textiles and custom-made furniture to make it feel more residential than medical.

      The Aloop Clinic & Lab, which provides “skin cure and care”, is located in the city’s upscale Ginza area and run by Japanese beauty company POLA. Ashizawa wanted to give it an interior that would feel peaceful, while also representing the brand.
      The Aloop clinic has a calm minimalist interior”As a clinic that uses medical technology to deal with beauty, we thought that the space should have sincerity, calmness, and beauty in order to create a comfortable time for customers to feel at ease,” Ashizawa told Dezeen.
      “In addition, considering that this is a completely new business for the POLA beauty brand, we felt that it was necessary to create a space that would enhance the brand.”
      Wood was used throughout the spaceTo do so, Ashizawa looked at the design of the 210-square-metre clinic like he would if he were designing a residential space, giving it a calm, minimalist interior.

      “Although it is a clinic, I considered the space to be similar to a hotel or a living space,” he said. “Therefore, I used materials that I use in designing living spaces and hotels.”
      “The walls are plaster and the floor is a wool rug from Hotta Carpet,” he added. “The sofa and furniture at the characteristic entrance are made of Kvadrat wool textile to create a pleasant texture.”
      Treatment rooms were designed to have a residential feelThe architect used a clean, simple colour palette throughout the space, with white-painted walls contrasting against wooden panelling and wooden doors.
      “Wood was used for doors, furniture and details because we wanted to create a residential calm rather than a clinic,” Ashizawa said. “We felt that a bright and healthy atmosphere was necessary.”
      “The extensive use of wood was to create a residential atmosphere, and we wanted the space to be as far away from a typical clinic as possible,” he added.
      Keiji Ashizawa created custom-made sofas with furniture brand KarimokuHis studio worked together with wooden furniture brand Karimoku to design the custom-made sofas for the space, which welcome customers as they enter the clinic.
      “Of particular importance to this project were the custom sofas,” Ashizawa said.
      “We asked Karimoku, with whom we communicate on a daily basis for furniture development and wood projects, to work with us on the development of the furniture.”

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      He compared his collaboration with the brand to that of mid-century modern Finnish architect Alvar Aalto and furniture brand Artek.
      “For me, Karimoku has become an indispensable partner in thinking about space, just as Aalto is for Artek,” he explained.
      Neutral colours contrast against pale woodBy creating the sofas with rounded edges, Ashizawa aimed for them to “gently envelop” customers after their treatments.
      “The mere fact that something looks hard or painful makes the body tense, so we thought it would be desirable to eliminate such things,” he said.
      “However, in order to maintain a comfortable sense of tension in the room, delicate details of metal and wood were used to achieve a balance.”
      Small sculptures decorate the spaceSmall sculptures were dotted throughout the Aloop clinic, including in the treatment rooms.
      Ashizawa has previously designed an interior with a similar colour palette for the Hiroo Residence in Tokyo, and also used plenty of wood for his and Norm Architects minimalist Trunk Hotel design.
      The photography is by Tomooki Kengaku.

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      Keiji Ashizawa Design and Norm Architects create “honest” Trunk Hotel in Tokyo

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      An exposed raw concrete facade fronts the Trunk Hotel Yoyogi Park, which Japanese studio Keiji Ashizawa Design and Danish firm Norm Architects conceived as a minimalist retreat in the heart of the city.

      Marking the third location in a trio of Trunk hotels in Tokyo, the design of the boutique hotel was rooted in the concept of “urban recharge”, according to Trunk chief creative officer Masayuki Kinoshita.
      Trunk Hotel Yoyogi Park features a raw concrete facadeThe hotel group said the idea was to balance the opposing elements of tradition and modernity as well as nature and the city and the melding of both Japanese and European craft.
      Keiji Ashizawa Design created a textured concrete aggregate facade for the seven-storey building, which is punctuated with steel-lined balconies and overlooks Yoyogi Park’s lush treetops.
      Guest rooms feature a muted colour and material paletteThe studio worked with Norm Architects to design the minimalist interior, accessed via a copper-clad entrance.

      A total of 20 guest rooms and five suites were dressed in a muted colour and material palette featuring hardwood flooring and plush Hotta Carpet-designed rugs informed by traditional Japanese architecture.
      Paper-cord chairs and tapered washi pendant lights contribute to the minimalist designDelicate rattan partition walls delineate spaces within the rooms, which open out onto the building’s balconies that were fitted with slanted ceilings in order to encourage sunlight into each room “as if mimicking the gentle transitions of a day”.
      “It’s been an interesting journey for us to find the right balance between a space that is relaxed and vibrant at the same time,” said Norm Architects co-founder Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen.
      The interiors were designed to be both “relaxed and vibrant”The rooms are also characterised by paper-cord chairs and tapered washi pendant lights as well as abstract artworks, amorphous vases and grainy floor-to-ceiling bathroom tiles.
      On the ground floor, oak seating designed by Norm Architects for Karimoku features in the hotel restaurant, which includes a striking copper-clad pizza oven and the same rattan accents that can be found in the guest rooms.
      Rattan accents can also be found in the hotel restaurant”It is a very unique and gratifying experience in the sense that the architecture, interior and furniture, as well as the attention to detail, have created a space with such a strong sense of unity,” said Keiji Ashizawa Design.
      An open-air pool club is located on the sixth floor of the hotel.

      Keiji Ashizawa and Norm Architects design tactile interiors for “hotel in the sky”

      Sand-blasted concrete flooring was paired with thin bluey-green tiles that make up the infinity swimming pool, which overlooks the park below.
      A “glowing” firepit can also be set alight after dark, intended to create a soothing contrast with the bright Tokyo skyline.
      The Trunk Hotel features a rooftop infinity poolThe city’s first Trunk Hotel opened in Shibuya in 2017, while the second location is an offbeat one-room hotel in the metropolis’s Kagurazaka neighbourhood featuring its own miniature nightclub.
      The photography is by Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen.

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      Japanese garden design informs Tokyo real estate office by Flooat

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      Lush plants and gravel beds feature in the Tokyo offices of real estate company Mitsui & Co, which local interior studio Flooat has designed to be “as stress-free as possible”.

      The workspace is located on the third floor of a 1980s office block in Chiyoda, a special district of Tokyo that is also home to the Imperial Palace.
      Flooat set out to bring new value to the outdated building, creating a working environment that could be “cherished and used for a long time”.
      Mitsui & Co’s office is set in a 1980s office block”In this project, we aimed to create a space that is considerate to both people and the environment by updating the charm of an old building and showing its new value in Tokyo, where there is a notably high rebuilding rate,” the studio told Dezeen.
      The practice was presented with a space that was dark and awkward, with a corridor running down the middle of a long, narrow floor.

      Flooat’s solution involved reducing the interior to a “skeleton” and eliminating the corridor to create a semi-open space for Mitsui & Co’s employees.
      Design studio Flooat used teak wood to line walls and floorsThe remaining walls were adjusted to a height and position that would not block any natural light.
      “The walls are constructed to match the architectural module, giving a sense of depth while dead-end flow lines have been eliminated so that the space can be viewed from various angles,” the studio said.
      “The result is a harmony of function and aesthetic with a clean, simple look.”
      The same timber was also used to clad the newly deepened window surroundsThe surrounds of the windows were deepened and lined with grainy matt-finish teak to bring warmth and character to the office while softening the direct sunlight.
      The same timber was also used to wrap around walls, floors, windows and doors.
      “To create harmony in the space, we selected trees with similar characteristics,” Flooat said. “Employees spend a lot of time in the office, so we aim to create a natural space that is as stress-free as possible.”
      Comfortable seating areas were created next to the windowsFlooat used partitions at various heights, alongside different floor levels and furniture heights to create dedicated areas for different modes of working.
      Sofas and low tables were installed close to windows, allowing visitors to sit and take in the outside world in a relaxed environment.
      Long communal tables provide space for focused work while another area serves as a lounge where Mitsui & Co’s staff can mingle with others in the building.
      “Instead of sitting in the same seat all the time, we have created an environment where people can move around, creating opportunities for communication and a natural flow of people in the office,” the studio said.

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      Different zones are demarcated via narrow tracts of gravel laid into troughs in the floor.
      “Borders are indicated in such a way as to give every area its own independence, evoking the pleasing features of a Japanese landscape garden with a tea house,” the studio said.
      “The pebble is a sign for switching spaces, a modern representation of the uniquely Japanese way of communicating signs.”
      Different floor levels and gravel beds help to delineate areasPlants with lush green foliage introduce a soft organic element to the space, providing a link to nature within the city.
      “We placed large plants on the symbolic tables where people tend to congregate,” the studio said.
      “We also considered the shadows created by the trees as an element of comfort. Organic, natural shapes also help to reduce tension and create a cosy atmosphere.”
      The natural grain of the wood serves a decorative functionA cavernous meeting room pod is set into one of the partition walls, enveloped in a grey textile surround that was chosen for its sound-absorbing qualities.
      “This gives the impression of a cave,” the studio said. “Once inside, the space gives a sense of security and allows people to concentrate on communication. It’s a place where you don’t have to worry about other people’s eyes and voices.”
      For the furniture, Flooat chose enduring design pieces that date back to before the building’s construction in 1983, in a bid to create a sense of timelessness.
      A meeting room pod is integrated into one of the partition walls”We wanted to revive the interior of an old building and choose furniture that would be appropriate for a place that will still be used in the future,” said Flooat.
      “We used furniture in the lounge space that was designed in the 1960s, for example, and is still being produced today.”
      Mitsui & Co’s office has been shortlisted in the small workplace interior category of this year’s Dezeen Awards.
      Also in the running is the office of digital artist Andrés Reisinger, with surreal details that nod to his otherworldly renderings, and the library of the Cricket Club of India, which is nestled amongst tree-like wooden columns.
      The photography is by Tomooki Kengaku.

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      Klein Dytham Architecture gives Fender’s first flagship store a welcoming feel

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      Klein Dytham Architecture has aimed to counter rock music snobbery with its design for guitar brand Fender’s Tokyo flagship store, which is meant to feel welcoming to people who might feel judged in other guitar stores.

      The Fender store sits across the bottom four floors of the glass-walled Ice Cubes building, a 12,000-square-metre space in the neighbourhood of Harajuku that was formerly home to an H&M store.
      It is the world’s first flagship store for the 77-year-old American brand, which is one of the most recognisable names in guitars and is particularly known for electric models like the Stratocaster.
      The Fender flagship store is located in Harajuku, TokyoFor the project, Fender asked Klein Dytham Architecture to create a space that would counter the perception of guitar stores as being intimidating, particularly for women and newer players.
      It hoped the store would offer a sophisticated and immersive retail experience that would encourage leisurely browsing and communicate the brand’s heritage.

      Klein Dytham Architecture answered the brief with a store design it sees as creating “a destination of discovery”, with gallery exhibits, an event space, a cafe and a “care bar” for repairs.
      The main browsing area on the first floor features display stands made of curved woodThe first floor houses the main browsing area, which features undulating wood benches and display units that are meant to echo the curves and materials of a Fender guitar. These contours are further mimicked in the lighting above.
      The area also has custom plectrum-shaped tables where staff can place guitars they have removed from the display to show customers. Clothing racks holding the F is for Fender streetwear collection sit among the guitars.
      The second floor, which was realised in a soft grey palette, is primarily an exhibition space called the Artists Gallery.
      The second floor is the main gallery spaceHere, large-scale photos and video shows famous musicians in action, each one alongside a transparent display case housing their Fender of choice.
      There are also displays dedicated to Japanese- and American-designed Fenders respectively, and a sound-proofed Amp Room where customers can test run guitars and amps.

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      On the darker and moodier third floor, another exhibition space — the Master Builders Gallery — focuses on the work of specific craftspeople, while two VIP rooms and a custom shop are furnished with comfortable couches and provide a setting for discussing bespoke builds.
      Also on this floor is a colourful display of 400 guitar finish samples that fills the length of one wall.
      The third floor includes the Fender custom shopThe final floor is the basement, which houses an event space, cafe and the Fender care bar, and where Klein Dytham Architecture endeavoured to create a cosier feel with a plectrum-shaped rug and benches.
      Tying the floors together is a spiral staircase with a hall-of-fame-style photo gallery on the interior, as well as a three-storey-high vertical LED display on the glass facade outside that will be used for Fender-related content.
      The basement includes an event space and a care bar”Conceived as a hub and clubhouse for all things Fender, this project takes the notion of a flagship store and experiential retail to beyond the next level,” Klein Dytham Architecture co-founder Mark Dytham told Dezeen.
      Dytham started the practice with fellow Royal College of Art graduate Astrid Klein in Tokyo in 1991. Some of their recent work includes the PokoPoko clubhouse for the Risonare Nasu hotel in rural Japan and a Cartier store with an intricate wooden facade in Osaka.
      Photography by Nacása & Partners.

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      Keiji Ashizawa designs “home-like” The Conran Shop in Hillside Terrace

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      Designer Keiji Ashizawa has devised the interiors of The Conran Shop Daikanyama in Tokyo, which is located inside a building by architect Fumihiko Maki and spotlights products from Japan and Asia.

      The latest outpost from British retailer The Conran Shop is located in the modernist Hillside Terrace in Daikanyama, a quiet area close to the Tokyo city centre.
      The complex was designed by Pritzker Prize-winner Maki and constructed between 1967 and 1992.
      The Conran Shop Daikanyama was designed to resemble someone’s homeAshizawa aimed to take the existing architecture of the two-storey building into consideration when designing the interior of The Conran Shop.
      “Since the existing space had great potential, we knew that the work had to be put into elevating what was already there – thinking about the proportions of the space, the dry area and so on,” he told Dezeen.

      “Although it is inside a well-known architecture, there were elements where we thought we could bring change to the inside.”
      It features pieces by Japanese and Asian designersThese changes included turning one glass section into a solid wall.
      “Glass walls were used extensively as part of the architectural concept so that the store space could be viewed through the layers of glass,” Ashizawa said.
      “While building the store, we decided that there wouldn’t be a problem in making a section of the glass wall become a solid wall, considering its serenity as a space and its relationship with the street.”
      A mezzanine showcases a sofa and other living room furnitureThe designer created the 200-square-metre store to look like someone’s home, in a nod to the peaceful nature of the surrounding area. It features a large atrium on the ground floor, connecting it to an adjoining courtyard.
      “Daikanyama is a very calm neighbourhood in Tokyo, where we wished to design a store where people could feel relaxed and away from the stimulation of the city,” Ashizawa said.
      “We intended to create a space for people to stay for a long period of time and feel the space.”
      The store is located in the iconic Hillside Terrace complexThe interior design was also based on The Conran Shop’s three keywords – plain, simple and useful – CEO of The Conran Shop Japan Shinichiro Nakahara told Dezeen.
      The store’s product selection also places a special focus on Japanese and Asian design.
      “Specifically for The Conran Shop Daikanyama, the selections were focused on objects from Asia, including Japan,” Nakahara said.

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      “The process of [founder] Terence [Conran] travelling around the world, finding and buying items in each place by himself, has not changed,” he added. “Many of the objects selected by the Conran team in Japan have a sense of craftsmanship.”
      “We created the space by imagining a situation in which such objects would be displayed alongside each other. For example, the details of the objects are reflected in the interior design.”
      It features a staircase with a handrail made from black paper cordsThe interior uses materials that are common in Japan including concrete, steel, wood, plaster, Japanese stone and paper.
      “The use of Japanese paper in interior design is an element that is distinctively Japanese,” Ashizawa explained.
      “Shoji screens are an important element in creating a Japanese-style room but I realize that they can also be well used in both functional and aesthetic ways in a modern space.”
      Concrete walls and shoji screens were used for the interiorThe studio also used Japanese paper that had been dyed in a grey hue as wallpaper to give the space a “soft and contemporary feel.”
      “Since we weren’t building an actual house but rather a home-like Conran store, the materials were thoughtfully instrumented to achieve a balance,” Ashizawa said.
      The ground floor of the store holds furniture, homeware and apparel, and also has a mezzanine floor that is accessible by a staircase featuring a handrail made from black paper cords.
      A gallery-like space is located on the basement floorAshizawa designed the basement floor, which functions both as an additional shopping area and a gallery space, to have a calmer atmosphere.
      “Filled with natural light, the ground floor uses colours that bring grandeur and a sense of calmness,” he said.
      “The basement floor is toned to create a more private feeling. We respected the natural colours of the materials as much as possible, while also considering the harmony with the objects on display and in the gallery.”
      The store has a neutral colour palette and wooden detailsThe Conran Shop Daikanyama also has an adjoining bar where visitors can enjoy teas such as sencha and macha.
      Ashizawa has previously worked on a number of other projects in Tokyo, including the Bellustar Tokyo “hotel in the sky” and the Hiroo Residence.

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      Tile-clad Tokyo toilets are drenched in bright green and yellow light

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      Local studio I IN has renovated two toilets in a Tokyo shopping centre, using lights that “propose new colours for genders” to create vivid interiors.

      The interior design studio completely renovated the two toilets, which are located on the restaurant floor of the shopping centre Shin-Marunouchi in Chiyoda City, Tokyo.
      It began by wrapping both restrooms in white tiles to give them a clean feel that would also function as an unobtrusive background for the coloured lights.
      The bathrooms are marked by bright green and yellow light”We used a mosaic tile by Dinaone that is made in the Tajimi area, which is famous for tile-making in Japan, and it has a special non-slip treatment on its surface,” I IN told Dezeen.
      “We wrapped the space in tiles to express the feeling of cleanliness; we think public restrooms need to offer a sense of purity so that this whole space can be cleaned easily,” the studio continued.

      “Our aim was also to create a continuous floor, wall and ceiling using one material so that people can experience entering an unrealistic space.”
      Stainless-steel sinks contrast white tiles insideThe all-white interior was then enhanced by hidden light fixtures that colour the female bathroom entirely yellow, while the male bathroom is all green.
      “The main aim was to propose new colours for genders,” the studio said.
      “The universal toilet signage is usually red and blue – we wanted to bring them closer together. In rainbow colours, which define diversity, yellow and green are next to each other.”
      The bathrooms are located in the Shin-Marunouchi buildingThe colours of the toilets can be changed for seasonal events, but will otherwise remain yellow and green.
      The studio also designed sinks especially for the toilets, in which almost all the functions are hidden away to help create tidy spaces with a futuristic feel.

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      “We used silver metal – stainless steel – to create original sink designs for both the women’s and the men’s room,” I IN said.
      “Here, you do not see typical equipment such as faucets, soap dispensers and hand dryers; these are designed inside the counters but you can easily find and use them,” it added.
      “As the space is all about new restroom experiences, we designed a new experience for washing hands as well.”
      The spaces were designed to be “extraordinary”I IN collaborated with architecture and engineering studio Mitsubishi Jisho Design on the design.
      The studio hopes that the washrooms will create a memorable experience for visitors.
      “The sensation of being saturated by the color of light transforms all elements of the restroom experience into something extraordinary, leaving a powerful lasting impression on the visitor,” the studio concluded.
      I IN was longlisted for emerging interior design studio of the year at Dezeen Awards 2022 and has previously overhauled a 1980s apartment in Tokyo to give it an understated luxury feel.
      The photography is by Tomooki Kengaku.

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      Keiji Ashizawa and Norm Architects design tactile interiors for “hotel in the sky”

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      Japanese designer Keiji Ashizawa and Danish studio Norm Architects have unveiled their design for the Bellustar Tokyo hotel, which aims to evoke a sense of nature in the middle of Tokyo’s urban Shinjuku district.

      The two studios worked together to design interiors for five penthouse suites as well as hospitality spaces for the top floors of the Bellustar Tokyo, 200 metres above the ground in Shinjuku’s Kabukicho tower.
      Norm Architects and Keiji Ashizawa Design had to take the city views from the building into account when designing the hotel rooms, which are spread over three levels from the 45th to the 47th floor.
      The Tsuki (moon) penthouse suite has calm grey walls”I would say that it is the tallest hotel I have worked on,” Ashizawa told Dezeen, describing it as “a quiet hotel in the sky of Shinjuku”.
      “Since there are no nearby buildings at this elevation, there was no need to be concerned about privacy, and it feels surreal that the views from all the windows are almost always spectacular,” he added.

      “That is why the relationship between views from the windows and the space is indeed very simple.”
      Floor-to-ceiling windows let light into the Tori (bird) suiteBoth studios were involved in the spatial organisation of the five penthouse suites as well as the placement of the hotel’s three restaurants, its top-floor spa and a penthouse lounge designed for guests to enjoy the setting sun.
      Ashizawa and Norm Architects drew on their signature use of natural materials and muted palettes to create the interiors for the five guestrooms.
      The penthouse lounge was designed for guests to view the sunsetThese were informed by the “beauty of the four seasons in Japan” and have names such as Hana (wind) and Tsuki (moon).
      The rooms have been furnished with pieces by the studios’ Karimoku Case Study series for wood furniture company Karimoku and feature a mix of natural materials.
      “The use of organic forms and natural materials like wood and stone can be seen as an antidote to the city that serves as artworks through the grand windows,” the studios said.
      The Hana (flower) penthouse suite features furniture in dark woodAmong the tactile details in the guest rooms are stone-topped bedside tables and wood-panelled headboards.
      “The idea is to create a balance of hardness and softness against the large area of the room that will be covered with textiles,” Ashizawa said.
      A bench creates distance from the view in the Sora (sky) penthouse suiteAs the guestrooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, the bedrooms and living rooms feature benches and curtains that were added “to create a little distance from the view to make the space feel more comfortable,” Ashizawa explained.
      A colour palette of mainly white, ivory and gray was used throughout the Bellustar Tokyo, which is a Pan Pacific hotel, with darker colours creating contrast in some of the spaces.

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      “The color palette is what we and Norm Architects consider to be the colors of nature, and we hope to create a sense of richness by evoking nature in Shinjuku, the most Tokyo-like place in the city,” Ashizawa said.
      “As an antidote to the city, we have tried to listen to nature’s story of artistry, optimism, imperfection, and impermanence, and bring these poignant qualities into the work,” Norm Architects added.
      The Bellustar restaurants have views over TokyoAshizawa also used tiles and handcrafted details to create more tactile walls in some areas of the hotel, including in the main restaurant, which has custom-made tiles from Japan.
      The Bellustar Tokyo features three restaurants: the main restaurant and bar, which was designed solely by Ashizawa, as well as a sushi restaurant and a teppanyaki restaurant.
      Here, the studios worked with material palettes that include wood and brick.
      The restaurant’s sushi restaurant has an intimate design”The sushi and teppanyaki restaurants are designed to feel like small hidden and intimate traditional city restaurants but transformed into contemporary places on the top of Tokyo,” Norm Architects said.
      “Both restaurants have their own unique character and material palette where the sushi restaurant is bright and works with hinoki [cypress wood], the teppanyaki place is dark and dominated by dark bricks in creative patterns.”
      The Kaze (wind) penthouse suite has tactile material detailsThe studios hope that by using natural materials and muted colours, the Bellustar Tokyo will function as a refuge from the busy city.
      “We hope that the guests of the hotel will first experience the vibrant atmosphere of the Shinjuku Kabukicho district of Tokyo, and then enjoy the serenity of the penthouse interior – as if the lively Tokyo scenery were like a Zen temple’s karesansui (dry landscape garden),” Ashizawa said.
      Light falls in through the large windows of the penthouse loungePrevious projects by Keiji Ashizawa Design include the Hiroo Residence overlooking Tokyo’s Arisugawanomiya Memorial Park and the Kyoto showroom for Karimoku.
      Norm Architects recently created a headquarters for children’s brand Liewood and an inside-out greenhouse restaurant in Sweden.
      Project credits:
      Interior architecture: Keiji Ashizawa Design: Keiji Ashizawa, Mariko Irie, Kenji Kawami, Yuichiro Takei. Norm Architects: Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen, Peter Eland, Frederik WernerBellustar penthouse (five penthouses): Keiji Ashizawa Design and Norm ArchitectsBellustar restaurant and bar: Keiji Ashizawa DesignSpa Sunya: Keiji Ashizawa DesignFurniture, fixtures and equipment: Keiji Ashizawa Design and Norm Architects

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      Wooden furniture and artworks decorate Hiroo Residence in Tokyo

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      Designer Keiji Ashizawa used muted tones to make the most of the sunlight in this apartment in central Tokyo, which features wooden art pieces and furniture that was specially designed for the space.

      For the Hiroo Residence, named after its location in the city’s Hiroo neighbourhood, Ashizawa wanted to underline the quality of the light in the flat.
      A cut-out wall lets light into the hallway, which has an artwork by Sara MartinsenIn the open-plan kitchen and living room, light streams in from a balcony, and the designer took advantage of this light source by creating a cut-out wall so that the light carries through to the hallway next to it.
      “I think you can see we have a very nice sunlight here,” he told Dezeen during a walkthrough of the apartment. “So I didn’t want to use white, as it would be too bright – instead I used muted, subtle tones.”
      A wooden artwork by Atelier Plateau and a slatted sideboard decorate the living roomHe also wanted Hiroo Residence to feel like a peaceful place to come home to in a busy city, using natural materials to create a calm ambience.

      “Outside it’s super noisy but inside it’s very quiet, so I chose muted tones that also fuse with the materials; the wood and the stone,” Ashizawa said.
      The tranquil 200-square-metre apartment, which overlooks the Arisugawanomiya Memorial Park, has three bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as a kitchen and dining area, a small workspace and plenty of storage spaces.
      Shaker-informed chairs and a wooden light were used for the kitchenBefore designing the interior, Ashizawa changed the layout of the flat to make it more open, taking out an existing hallway to create a bigger dining space.
      “Our goal was to design a space that can only be created by meticulously crafting from the smallest detail to the furniture, resulting in a quiet, comforting, and inspiring atmosphere with little noise, surrounded by natural materials crafted with tactility,” Ashizawa said of the design.
      Keiji Ashizawa used a neutral colour palette for the homeHe worked with the Japanese wooden furniture company Karimoku on the project, which is the eighth in its Karimoku Case Study series that sees it collaborate with architects on bespoke furniture and interior projects.
      As a result, wood was used throughout Hiroo Residence, with white-stained oak covering many of the floors.

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      Ashizawa also worked with Karimoku to create wooden window frames and sliding doors, which were placed throughout the flat to add privacy without taking up too much space.
      The furniture matches the wooden interior details and includes two pieces created especially for the project – a sideboard with decorative wooden slats and a dining chair with a woven seat that was inspired by both Shaker designs and classic Scandinavian chairs.
      Wooden panels cover the bedroom wallsIn the bedroom of Hiroo Residence, wooden wall panels add a tactile and more natural feel, which is echoed in the built-in shelves and drawers in the en-suite walk-in closet.
      Cabinets were also used to hide different functions in the kitchen, where a large wooden unit takes up an entire wall.
      An entire wall is taken up by a wooden kitchen unitEven smaller details in the flat, such as the long kitchen lamp, were made from the material.
      Artworks in wood by Danish art studio Atelier Plateau and the artist Sara Martinsen, which were created especially for the space,  decorate the walls.
      Karimoku has worked with Ashizawa on a number of projects, including its second showroom which just opened in Kyoto, Japan, and the Azabu Residence Case Study, where the designer referenced mid-century American design.
      The photography is by Tomooki Kengaku.

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