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Osamu Morishita's Mountain Hotel Displays Translucent Cabins in Kobe’s Cedar Forests

Osamu Morishita's Mountain Hotel Displays Translucent Cabins in Kobe’s Cedar Forests
© Hahakura Tomoki

The design of Osamon Morishita, a ThinkStay Mountain Hotel in Kobe, is based on the principle of ecological awareness regarding school energy and light and heat efficiency for the purpose of preserving the environment.

An architect, Mr. Morishita, has undertaken an incredible restoration process at the core of the old cedar forest at the top of Mount Rokko in Kobe, Japan. He has dared to undertake the remarkable task of renovating an otherwise neglected site of historical importance. A ThinkStay Mountain Hotel project by Osamu Morishita Architect and Associates proves the successful combination of futuristic design technologies with traditional Japanese architecture. It offers an exciting chance to be among natives and park nature while you experience the surrounding cultural heritage.

Osamu Morishita's Mountain Hotel Displays Translucent Cabins in Kobe’s Cedar Forests
© Hahakura Tomoki

Gateway to Health

The ThinkStay Mountain Hotel started with the restoration of a traditional in-sui-ki style villa built in 1942. This building is a culmination of years of dedicated work accomplished by the hearts of the people who had worked with their ancestors for many years. This place was neglected over time. The Osamu Morishita team, designated as the developers and builders, also paid close attention to the need to protect the villa's heritage, thus making it their duty to restore the villa to its original charm meticulously.

This used to be a sukiya villa. It is now the main building of the ThinkStay Mountain Resort, which combines communal areas, including a bar and library, in one place, encouraging the guests to get close to each other and feel relaxed in the beautiful outside nature. That's not all the project undertakes, however. The residential area around the villa comprises several glowing private cottages, which the surrounding environment can dimly perceive because their translucent multifaceted envelopes are blended with the landscape. At the foot of the mountains, amid the green nature, there are these modern constructions, speaking of the best of traditional Japanese architecture and embracing the latest design trends, giving back comfort and peacefulness to the customers as if they are inside of nature on themselves.

Osamu Morishita's Mountain Hotel Displays Translucent Cabins in Kobe’s Cedar Forests
© Hahakura Tomoki

Nature's Stimuli

The design and construction of the THINKSTAY Mountain Hotel became complicated due to the features and difficulty of location. The purpose of the project was the creation of the multifunctional pediatric center, which has led to the need to solve the issues of restricted vehicle access and the desire to minimize the project's destructive impact on the environment. The challenges faced by the team have only stimulated their imagination and brought about the new unique concept of utilizing ecological approaches to the architecture.

The dwellings, elaborately propped on the pillars to avoid the forest on foot, are a portrait of this state-of-the-art method. Corrugated polycarbonate shells and steel frames of featherweight construction, as well as a "light" and "transparency" format, not only decrease the environmental impact but also set an atmosphere of "lightness and transparency." The interior of the style space represents minimalism that allows for the ever-changing vista of the forest to make its presence the absolute center with outside and the interior vanishingly merging.

Osamu Morishita's Mountain Hotel Displays Translucent Cabins in Kobe’s Cedar Forests
© Hahakura Tomoki

A Holistic Experience

The initiative regarding this project on the ThinkStay Mountain Hotel is probably to ensure it harmonizes with nature and is sustainable. From the selection of materials to the design of all the project's structures, all the aspects of the project are based on the worthy principles of nature conservation and a noble attitude towards the environment and ecosystem.

The output offers a touch of nature that everyone can enjoy while keeping the modern comforts they desire. Whether they are feeling the warm hotel building surrounded by the peaceful and serene of their cabin or they walk on the woodland walks, the visitors to the ThinkStay Mountain Hotel are free to step down, tension-free, and enjoy the natural environment.

Mr. Osamu Morishita's brainchild, ThinkStay Mountain, embodies excellence in architecture and environmental awareness. The unique combination of preserving the elements of tradition and modernity and the challenges associated with operating in a remote setting are all part of the project's transformation. As a result, guests get the ultimate experience of natural cedar beauty around pristine Kobe.

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