LANDSCAPE DESIGN

An oceanside bastion of natural wonders

HOSHINOYA Okinawa occupies a narrow strip of land along the coastline. In designing the overall aesthetic of the resort, we studied the gusuku—a type of castle that once dotted the Ryukyu Islands, of which Okinawa is the biggest. The guest villas and buildings stand right by the coast, while the premises are surrounded by a tall modernist wall modeled after gusuku fortification. In choosing this design, we wanted to convey the idea that HOSHINOYA Okinawa is a self-contained space of pure relaxation where guests will find everything they need.
Just inside the many portals that line the wall, guests will find an idyllic scene of groves, orchards, farms, and gardens—all protected from the elements by the wall. Footpaths wind through this setting, guiding guests to and from a pool and other open-air public facilities that open up to stunning ocean views.
Another concept we tackled was the idea of creating a new coastline. We wanted to avoid diminishing the original scenery, so we built the guest buildings low and positioned them in a pattern winding along the coastline, allowing the structures to blend in with the environment.