LIGHTING

Replicating the Warm Lighting of Ryokan

Takeishi created the resort's lighting design in collaboration with Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei. Although Takeishi ensured that certain aspects of the lighting were commanding enough for the resort to stand up to the contemporary high-rises all around, his main focus was on replicating the warmth associated with ryokan. In other words—light that is inviting, light that breathes, light that lingers, and light with a sense of interplay. For the exterior, he used upper lights to create gradation over the lattice of patterns veiling the building so that it would stand out. In the entrance, guests are welcomed by washi paper pendants that echo traditional Japanese paper lanterns, as well as walls with lights imbedded in a checkered pattern.

In the private spaces, Takeishi designed a more subdued lighting scheme. The tatami corridors just outside the guestrooms are lit from behind shoji sliding doors. Rooms, themselves, are gently lit via indirect lighting from the ceiling, as well as floor-level light stands (based on andon paper lamps) with arrow feather motifs. The communal baths, which are unusual in that they have open roofs, feature indirect lighting from the walls. This creates a relaxing ambience while enhancing the natural light from above, simulating the experience of bathing in an outdoor hot spring. The aim of this lighting scheme is to encourage guests to stay at the resort, get comfortable, and spend long, relaxing hours inside without feeling the need to leave.