Every W hotel is designed for its specific location – with foreign designers invited to offer the fresh perspectives of an outsider. For W’s first hotel in Japan, Concrete absorbed the sites, sounds, flavors and thrills of Osaka. From the simple beauty of the cherry blossoms and gingko trees lining the Midosuji Boulevard to the extroverted, lively and somewhat rebellious culture with the vibrant neon and busy streetscape of Osaka’s nightlife district Dotonburi. Concrete found inspiration in both the simple and traditional, as well as the modern, obsessive and extravagant and created a design concept of extravagant simplicity - celebrating the true spirit of the city. arrival | The “wow” experience begins as you enter the arrival tunnel. Inspired by delicate blossoms and the fine art of origami, more than 3000 circles were laser cut into sturdy metal and folded randomly. In the arrival lobby, the asanoha pattern was the inspiration behind the ceiling, flooring and staircase. A simple yet bold ceiling uses a scaled-up, 3D version of this traditional geometric pattern. the social heart | In a standard hotel, the first thing guests see is the check-in counter. Instead, when exiting the lift, W Osaka guests immediately see the bar. The silver ball pachinko-game inspired reception pods are tucked away to the side. Behind the concierge desk, concrete celebrates W's diverse and inclusive audience with a styling cabinet full of custom made unique and colorful kokeshi dolls. To connect and separate the spaces that serve the W Osaka guests on this floor, like an endless shoji screen, a continuous white sheer curtain with sharp origami-style pleats flows from check-in to living room, and from bar to restaurant. With this overarching gesture, thresholds are lowered, boundaries are blurred, and guests flow naturally through the different spaces. Above the living room floats a wild cloud of lamps. White “neon” shines through translucent boxes, in a desaturated homage to Osaka's electric nightlife scenery. It's like the colors of the neon have dripped on top of the furniture, arranged in a rainbow colour sequence. The people of Osaka have a great sense of humor, and love manzai comedy. A rotating round crimson stage offers plenty of opportunity to speak up, show yourself and perform! In contrast to this social heart, the hotel is bedazzled with hidden gems. Down a long zigzag-curtain lined corridor on the 3rd floor, hides a secret world accessible only to those ‘in the know’: W Osaka’s secret sushi restaurant Ukiyo. The restaurant has a visual backdrop by local artist Lok Jansen and Japanese zelkova wood has been used. wellness | Health and wellness is found on the 4th floor, with its smooth walls and rounded corners, inspired by Japan’s love for nature. Each area has its own character. Tiling in shades of cobalt blue distinguishes the pool area. Tucked in niches with brass ceilings are comfortable day beds – perfect for lounging with a mocktail. guest rooms & suites | The rooms consist of an open plan, with the living room, sleeping zone and bathroom separated by a contemporary shoji screen. A wall made of grey tinted 2-way mirrors conceals an ‘escape’ lighting feature. When turned on, it transforms the room with dramatic pink or blue diagonal stripes, inspired by Osaka’s neon. Another surprise is locked away behind the walnut doors of the closets. Famous for their gamer’s pixel art, eBoy graphic designers created a “pixorama” of Osaka, filled to the brim with the city’s famous landmarks. Inspired by traditional Japanese homes, the presidential 'ewow' suite was designed in a sequence of 5 rooms divided by deep, oak portals with sliding shoji screens. The overall design is based on the duality of simplicity and extravagance, allowing guests to change the atmosphere. Whether they desire an intimate and personal ambiance, or want to create a more extraverted setting for entertaining. Sustainability, as one of W’s pillars, has been a natural focus. For the interior design, materials were mainly locally sourced, LED lighting was used and design choices were made to minimalize the carbon footprint. The interior is designed with durability to survive the regular refurbishments (scheduled every 7 years); this project is aimed to stay longer as a new classic and timeless environment, built to last.