HOTEL REVIEW
“Our brief was to work with the unique
Queen Anne style of the building,” explains Richmond’s Principal Fiona Thompson. “When we started the project, the building had already been completely gutted so all of the interior spaces are new. However, the original architect, Tatsuno, was heavily influenced by this period in English design and the owners were keen to have the interiors relate strongly to the architecture, hence using an English company to determine the design direction.” And indeed the rooms are testament
to this “very English and residential quality”, as she puts it. With tall ceilings and windows, and a dark wood and cream palette, the rooms are entirely successful in their heritage remit, a simulacrum of a comfortable English country pad. Of course this is the opposite of the
nearby Tokyo Peninsula with its high-tech accoutrements, because here is a hotel completely inspired by 18th century baroque. Indeed, there is nothing contemporary about the furnishings – all bespoke and all made in England. The only modernity is to be found in the bathrooms; in their expansive muted beige marble, you’ll find a Toto washlet.
While 81 rooms have views of the nearby
Imperial Palace Gardens, 28 are sited around the domes with interior views of the station concourse. And there are several duplex ‘maisonette’ rooms and suites, which reinforce the residential feel. There are two very notable design successes in the private guest areas. Firstly, the long handsome corridors, which stretch out to a distant vanishing point. Secondly, the voluminous 9-metre high atrium is a particular delight, situated in the roof of the hotel, and used as a breakfast room and lounge. Richmond implemented a new glazed section to the roof giving an airy feel – “the only contemporary expression of the new interior on the exterior facade of the building,” as Thompson points out. “The exterior was a heritage restoration in all other aspects, albeit now built on a cushion due to its seismic location. In this space we wanted to mix the tradition of the Queen Anne style but also allow elements of the building fabric, such as the original brickwork, to be expressed to give a direct link to the original construction and heritage. The herringbone timber flooring is again a reference to the industrial
072 MARCH / APRIl 2013
WWW.SLEEPERMAGAZINE.COM
ABOVE: 81 of the hotel’s guestrooms have views of the nearby Imperial Palace Gardens. Richmond International’s designs have a residential, English feel in keeping with the history of the building
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