Kengo Kuma’s One@Tokyo hotel juxtaposes tradition and modernity

New hotel One@Tokyo opens its doors this month in downtown Tokyo, with Japanese architecture maestro Kengo Kuma overseeing both the interior and exterior design for the new addition to Japan’s hospitality scene. Agora Hospitalities Co has partnered with Sky Hospitality for Tokyo’s fourth Alliance Hotel, creating a design that juxtaposes the traditional and the contemporary – an approach the architect has taken in past works too, including the recent hospitality design for Kai Yufuin, a hot spring hotel in Kyushu.

At One@Tokyo, an entrance, utilising classic materials with its traditional wood framing, makes a striking focal point, its textured form a sharp contrast against the building’s angular silhouette. 

The ten floors, including a rooftop level, and the hotel’s 142 guest rooms, nod to these contemporary codes, with wooden accents and textiles in muted hues creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. City landmark the Tokyo Skytree tower can be admired from the rooftop, which also encompasses a geometric play of wood patterns, staying faithful to the design codes of the hotel.

The industrial aesthetic is a natural fit for the well-connected area; a short walk from Oshiage Station, the hotel is also an easy journey to both Haneda and Narita international airports. 

The project is the latest addition to Kuma’s eclectic portfolio, which this year has encompassed everything from the aforementioned Kai Yufuin, which takes the form of a modern Japanese farmhouse in an elegant subdued colour palette, to the Hans Christian Andersen House in Denmark, an architectural celebration of natural materials. 

For Agora Hospitalities Co, One@Tokyo is the latest addition to a roster of hotels including Agora Tokyo Ginza, Tsuki Tokyo, Hotel Agora Osaka Moriguchi, Agora Fukuoka Hilltop Hotel & Spa, and Agora Kyoto Karasuma. 

onetokyo.com