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Nikko Style Niseko Hanazono

UDS | Keichi Ito , Ryo Okada

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Restaurant Entrance and Bar. The prominent hanging pod draws guests into the vibrant atmosphere of the restaurant and bar area. - Photographer Shinsui Ohara
Quartz-Infused Plaster in the Casual Zone. The textured plaster on the walls and ceiling, mixed with quartz, evokes the subtle sparkle of Niseko's snow. - Photographer Shinsui Ohara
Adaptable Seating in the Casual Zone. A large, transformable table creates diverse and inviting spaces for various group sizes and interactions near the entrance. - Photographer Shinsui Ohara
Restaurant Entrance and Bar. The prominent hanging pod draws guests into the vibrant atmosphere of the restaurant and bar area. - Photographer Shinsui Ohara

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Comments
Innovation
Functionality
Creativity
Eco-Social Impact
Total
JURY VOTES
Restaurant
7.50
7.95
7.75
7.40
7.65
Peter Greenberg
Peter Greenberg Partner at Ester Bruzkus Architekten
8.5
8.5
9
7.5
8.38
Ethan Yao
Ethan Yao China Resources Land at Deputy General Manager and Chief Architect of Design Management
7.5
8
8.5
7
7.75
Ray Chou
Ray Chou Founder and Creative Director at Vermilion Zhou Design Group
7.5
8.5
7.5
8
7.88
Paolo Torri
Paolo Torri Exhibition Design Manager at Pedrali
7.5
8
7
7.5
7.5
Alexandra Cantacuzene
Alexandra Cantacuzene Director of Interior Design at Al Futtaim Real Estate Group
7.5
8
7
7.5
7.5
Clemence Pirajean
Clemence Pirajean Cofounder at Pirajean Lees
Some successful design features in...
7
8
7.5
8
7.63
Ina Nikolova
Ina Nikolova Partner & Senior Project Manager at Kinzo Architekten
7.5
8
7.5
7.5
7.63
Vandana Dhawan Saxena
Vandana Dhawan Saxena Founder and Design Principal at Studio IV Designs
Clever reminiscence of mountains an...
7
7
7
7
7
Ali Mohammadioun
Ali Mohammadioun Founder at E plus A Atelier
8
8
8
7
7.75
Paul Birkhead
Paul Birkhead Cofounder and Creative Director at Syn Retail
Particularly enjoyed the bar, using...
7
7.5
8.5
7
7.5
Client
Fujita corporation
Floor area
785 ㎡
Completion
2024
Social Media
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Lighting

The breathtaking natural environment of the Niseko snow resort in Japan, its long history and unique culture were the basis for this design. The design concept is called “all taste” and is an accumulation of experiences of the surroundings brought inside, in addition to an exquisite cuisine. With a long and narrow space provided for the design, the decision for the plan was to adopt a gradational design from a casual space near the entrance to a more private and luxury zone at the end. To bring the history and nature of Niseko inside the restaurant, the design includes elements like semi-private rooms, reminding traditional snow huts, or building materials reminiscence of a snow glimmer.

Spreading over 285sq.m., separated into 3 zones, each part is layered with specially designed hardened floors which can withstand the abuse of snow booths and the winter ware. The curtains are double layered to softly absorb the outdoor light. And the deeper one goes toward the back of the restaurant, the darker the color of the curtains becomes, creating a gradually calming space, while at the same time considering the effect of thermal insulation. A mix of antique wood and stone near the entrance of the restaurant enhances the casual spirit of the space, while the passage leading to the more private spaces is designed to look more sophisticated, reminding one of the images of calming rows of birch trees at night. In the center of the restaurant stands the open kitchen with elements designed to represent the Annupuri mountain range of Niseko, creating a lively atmosphere. Even the pendant lights were designed to resemble snow crystals so that the guests were submerged in the beauty of Niseko snow resort.

Design begun in April 2020 and construction begun in August 2021. Operation begun on December 15, 2024. The restaurant is in Kutchan-cho, Hokkaido. Infront of the Restaurant stretches the famous Hanazono ski slope and is surrounded by the mountains Yotei and Annupuri. The research we did before starting was based on snow resorts, restaurants and facilities in Niseko. The goal was to combine not only the different styles of restaurants, but to include the local surroundings as well. It resulted in the creation of a space with many types of seatings styles and zones. A lively, entertaining and energized atmosphere, imbued with the charm of Niseko. One of the clients’ requests was to include as much as possible from the culture of Niseko, so many of the artwork was entrusted to Hokkaido artists to convey the charm of the local area to the guests properly. High-quality and environmentally appropriate furniture was also achieved by manufacturing them in Hokkaido.