For Four Seasons Hotel & Hotel Residence Kyoto, which will open in fall 2016, we designed the porte-cochere (Driveway) attached to the entrances of the south and north buildings. Seeking to reflect in the porte-cochere space Kyoto’s unique spirit of hospitality, we came up with a delicate design that would underline the specialness of the place itself. To give guests the feeling of being welcomed into the hotel, we used the traditional Japanese paper umbrella as our motif. Japanese paper umbrellas are handicrafts made using traditional techniques.
The porte-cochere mimics their delicate framework while also evoking their handcrafted image. The roof is made by laying one “umbrella” on top of another to create a large segmented space underneath. This space is designed to welcome and enfold guests on their approach to the hotel. In accordance with the local aesthetic design standards for buildings in Kyoto City, we also designed the roof shape to harmonize with the surrounding landscape.
The umbrella-inspired porte-cochere is finished with steel and wooden materials. The ceiling is rendered in an intricate fashion using wooden materials, with the radial rafters reminiscent of umbrella ribs.
