Meguro, Tokyo. Although it is not located in the heart of the city, the Meguro complex is visited by many people not only from Japan but also from overseas.CLASKA." The hotel, restaurant, rental studio, gallery, and store are all consistent with the philosophy of "beauty achieved through the lowest common denominator," a philosophy that continues to influence many fields and industries. This time, we will focus on the hotel, which is the foundation of KURASCA. In the "Claska" brand, which is taking the lifestyle world by storm, this is the type of business that is most closely related to daily life. Rooms 701 and 702 are the newest additions to the hotel.
These two rooms were not designed by an architect . The product brand "Joon" produces stationery and bags.POSTALCOThe rooms were designed by Mike Ableson, a designer at the "The Rooms of the Future" (aka "The Rooms of the Future"), a company that has been in the business of designing products that are renowned to last a lifetime. Mike designs products that are renowned to last a lifetime, so what exactly does a good guest room look like? Let's take a quick look.
First of all, when I saw the key in the hand of Mr. Ushida, the PR manager of "Claska," who showed me around, I thought, "What if . The key chain is limited to these two rooms.
And here is a full view of the guest room. The moment I entered the room, I felt it was like a hut. The room is very rustic, and I got the impression that it has no excesses or deficiencies, which is typical of Postalco. However, upon closer inspection, I realized that there was more to the room than just the exterior, and like Postalco's stationery, I could sense a design philosophy that is typical of Postalco in every part of the room.
To begin with, there is a theme to this room. , an essay by Junichiro Tanizaki. It is a famous book that condenses the aesthetic sense of Japan in an age when there were no electric lights , and is said to be read at least once by many aspiring architects. At the time this book was released, Western countries were thinking about how to lighten a room. On the other hand, in Japan, how to use shade was considered important. It is truly a wabi-sabi world. The reason why this was the theme is because Mike himself was greatly influenced by this book. So, the most important feature of this room is light and shadow.
There are three types of lighting: a round light near the ceiling, a light under the bed, and a light on a pillar in the corner of the room. The photo was taken during the day, so it does not show the atmosphere well, but at night these three lights create a very nice mood.
Also, you may notice that the beds have a small rise, and by doing so, you can sleep calmly, as if you were in a nest. Scientifically speaking, the closer you are to the ceiling, the more at ease you feel. Furthermore, by making the beds small, they are at the same height as the windows, and on a clear day, you can even see Mt.
This is a desk . . but it is not just a desk. Tires are attached to the legs of the desk, and sliders are attached to the wall, allowing it to move back and forth. This way, you can change its location depending on your mood. This flexibility is one of the points Mike was particular about.
All of the furnishings in the room have also been selected by Mike . On the desk, there are various menus inserted in a " Postalco " binder.
. even the bathroom, located just inside the room, is no ordinary bathroom.
The bathroom is located off the foyer, and the most notable feature is the floor , which is covered with washed out stone. Why . Mike thought about how comfortable it would be in the bathroom, which is not very spacious . Since there is no bathtub, you have to stand while taking a shower. . so we tried to make what touches your feet feel more natural. Indeed, when you actually walk around, you can feel the soft atmosphere of nature through your feet, or perhaps you feel nostalgic. It's a strange and relaxing feeling.
From ¥15,000 per night (per person). Although it is located a little far from the city center, the only other place where you can feel Mike's spirit is his home. If you have a chance, please try to stay there .
Finally, we asked Mr. Kenro Okuma, director of "Kruska," about the background of this project, so here it is in the form of an interview.
Kenro Okuma, director of "Kruska."
First of all, could you tell us why you asked Mike from Postalco to do the job?
Okuma: Actually, we have built new guest rooms in the past, but we often asked architectural designers to design them. But since "Claska" is a free-style hotel, we wanted to ask someone other than a professional to design it this time. . I wanted someone with an inquiring mind and observational skills, as well as a sense of design and style. When I was thinking about this, I thought of Mike from "Postalco.
I'm sure there are many creators around you, but are you a unique one among them?
Okuma: He has a great research attitude and is just a maniac (laughs). Furthermore, Mike is able to materialize his ideas. In this respect, I think he is a very rare person. In addition, his designs are not excessive, and even when he has interesting ideas, they are generally modest and elegant. This time, too, when I saw the design in the conceptual stage, I wondered if it was outlandish. When I saw the design in the conceptual stage, I thought it might be a bit out of the ordinary, but when I saw the finished product, it turned out to be a perfect "Postalco. I am very satisfied.
The guest rooms were indeed a perfect example of Postalco's design philosophy. By the way, do you have any plans to add more hotels in the future?
Okuma：Yes. I can't say that I won't, but I'm not thinking about it too much at this point. . However, I would like to do something that makes use of the know-how and ideas I have accumulated through the operation of "Kruska. If there is a good partner, I would love to work with them (laughs).
Lastly, do you have any thoughts on who you would ask to design your guest rooms in the future?
Okuma：If we have another opportunity in the future, we would like to ask someone who is not an interior designer, but who loves to travel, has knowledge of lifestyle and design, and who has a strong sense of his or her own style. Like Mike, if we could give form to ideas that are rooted in actual experience and a different perspective from that of a so-called professional interior designer, I am sure we would be able to create an interesting space.
Thank you very much . We look forward to seeing more developments in the future!
Text_Keisuke Kimura
CLASKA
Address: 1-3-18 Chuo-cho, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Phone: 03-3719-8121
claska.com
