Hotel Rakuragu is located a 5-minute walk from Mitsukoshimae Station on the Ginza Line. A 9-story building with 14 rooms was planned on a site of only 83.47m2,resulting in a large tower ratio. Therefore, a braced and rigid frame structure was combined and used, which is advantageous in terms of cost because it can reduce the cross-section of columns and beams but requires detailed planning. In addition, although the distance to the adjacent buildings is close, as is typical of urban areas in Tokyo, we planned the openings so that the rooms would not feel oppressive while allowing the maximum amount of natural light to come in and so that sight lines etc. would not cross over.
Due to the narrow site, a restaurant, cafe and other F&B facilities were not planned for the ground floor. However, the owner requested that the hotel be as open to the local community as possible, and a reception was created with artwork by we+ and a small area that can be used as a gallery.
In the rooms above the second floor, we have tried to create a layout and select materials that allow guests to fall asleep comfortably and wake up in the morning sun. For this reason, diatomaceous earth wallpaper is used on the walls, with the idea that the light can also be felt through the texture of the wallpaper.
The bathroom occupies a relatively large surface in each room and is considered important for the layout. However, as a condition of Chuo ward, where there are many offices, it was necessary to ensure that the bathtub etc. are not visible from the external space. For this reason, in this project, the shower room and other facilities are laid out in the center of the floor or an area far from the openings, and the washroom is placed outside to reduce the feeling of blockage and ensure quality in terms of functionality and design.