At long last, most of Japan‘s travel restrictions have been lifted for overseas travellers, and the recent opening of ONE@Tokyo, the very latest design-led budget lodgings in Tokyo, couldn’t have been better timed. Owned by hospitality group Agora, the 142-room property property sits a stone’s throw away from Tokyo Skytree, arguably the Japanese’s capital’s best known landmark building. The hotel interiors and façade have been designed by Kengo Kuma, one of today’s greatest architects, and reflect the neighbourhood’s light-manufacturing industry history. As such, the building’s lower levels are enveloped in an abstract configuration of plywood slats that evoke an atmosphere familiar to its surroundings, and strangely, create a sense of additional coziness inside. Timber is used for the for the ground floor interiors in abundance, tying in the lobby, restaurant, bar, reception area, and also the passage in front of the hotel. The rooms at ONE@Tokyo come in six categories that, as said, won’t break the bank.
Clean and understated, but highly comfortable and meeting the requirements of today’s savvy traveller, the room settings pair an exposed ceiling and plywood that align with the hotel’s design codes. The hotel has an inclusive approach to hospitality, and has a hotel room, the Universal, which is specifically designed for wheelchair users, while the Library Suite, yes indeed, comes with a nook brimming with books. But if you ask us, the Atelier Suite would be our pick. Perched on the tenth floor, it resembles an artist’s cool atelier, and features two kingsize beds and amenities such as a large-screen theater system, bluetooth speakers, and obviously, sweeping city views. The aforementioned ground floor restaurant is a lively meeting space where guests and neighbourhood dwellers mingle. Furnished with carefully selected pieces, it included an imposing 15-meter long dining counter. Taking in more city views? Well, head straight to ONE@Tokyo‘s rooftop terrace for a 180° panoramic glimpse of Tokyo‘s expansive cityscape.
ONE@Tokyo
1-19-3 Oshiage
Tokyo 131-0045
Telephone: +81 3 56301193
Publishers Note
Just to be clear – superfuture® is a design blog and not a political commentator. No surprise there. The scope of our content has always been global and borderless, however that can often mean covering projects in countries where we will not agree with the politics or actions of those countries. In a world that’s as screwed up as ever right now, the focus of our support is to those designers, architects and other creatives who aim to make the world a more liveable one – as opposed to people that try their hardest to destroy it. So if a project hits our desk and we like it based on its design credentials, we may choose to publish regardless of its location or creators nationality. superfuture® has always been inclusive and hopes for all current wars, aggression, violence, hate and extremism to end.
