Up in the resort town of Karuizawa about an hour from Nagano in Japan, a curvilinear wooden building gently nestles within a wooded area, its own golden shades mingling perfectly with the autumnal surrounds.
Shishi-Iwa House, a 10-room boutique hotel designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning architect Shigeru Ban, is now open.
The two-storey getaway is built with timber frames sandwiched between pre-fabricated plywood panels, that created modular frames that were transported to the site and assembled. Through this – a technique never-before used in hotel construction – the building’s curvature is achieved.
Intended as a retreat for companies, families and travellers, the soft, curved details – including the undulating roof – are deliberate, with design elements meant to restore physical and mental well-being, as well as to optimise communion with nature.
The building is comprised of 10 en suite guest rooms across three terraced villas, each with picturesque views of the garden or, better, Mount Asama. Lower-floor rooms open to a private garden while upper ones come with their own balcony.
Guests are welcomed into the Library and Reception, which lead to the garden, also accessible by the communal Grand Room. This room links to three kitchenettes that connect to the building’s three villas.
The interiors are no further from the exteriors, featuring timber and paper tube elements, a gentle nod to Shigeru Ban’s use of cardboard in his work.
Pieces by renowned Finnish architect and designer Alvar Aalto furnish the space – handpicked by Shigeru Ban – while age-old Japanese ceramic makers Miyama supply the tableware, and premium bedding, towels and robes are by Ploh, alongside custom furnishings and lighting.
Art by Gutai artists Jiro Yoshihara, Toshimitsu Imai, Yasuo Sumi, Sadamasa Motonaga and Masaaki Yamada can be found throughout the space, as well as those of international artists Zao Wu Ki, Seundja Rhee, Günther Förg and Bernar Venet.
Guests can opt to book a villa or the entire hotel for their stay. Take a peek inside Shishi-Iwa House through the gallery below.
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