Hotel NUTS by Upsetters Architects

Despite the odd name that conjures up all sorts of equally odd images, the renovated 6th floor rooms of Hotel NUTS (which stands for New Urban Time and Space) offer visitors to Tokyo a unique space that gracefully blends preexisting elements with traditional Japanese design.

Upsetters Architects were responsible for the interior design. And perhaps they appreciated graphic designer Shun Kawakami and calligraphy artist Gen Miyakawa’s collaboration as much as I did because they enlisted the two to create similar designs on the ceilings of the hallways. The calligraphy, combined with the calculated lighting, creates an anachronistic atmosphere that heightens expectations leading up to the rooms.

Here are some shots of the actual rooms. They intentionally exposed the bare walls of the building – leaving, at times, markings made during construction – to create a balance between structural information and elements of Japanese design, such as light and texture. Nice!