Every W hotel is designed for its specific location – with foreign designers invited to offer the fresh perspectives of an outsider. For this W hotel concrete absorbed the sites, sounds, flavors and thrills of Osaka. From the simple beauty of the cherry blossoms to the vibrant and busy streetscape of Osaka’s nightlife district Dotonbori. Concrete found inspiration in both the simple and traditional, as well as the modern, obsessive and extravagance and created a design concept of extravagant simplicity – celebrating the true spirit of Osaka.
The “wow” experience begins as you enter the arrival tunnel. Inspired by blossoms and the fine art of origami, more than 3000 circles were laser-cut into sturdy metal and folded randomly. In the arrival lobby, the asanoha-pattern was the inspiration behind the ceiling, flooring and staircase. A simple yet bold ceiling uses a scaled-up, 3D-version of this traditional pattern.
From the arrival lobby, guests heading to the 2nd floor - the hotel's main event floor - go up the iconic staircase to enter the main pre-function room. Inspired by the Japanese art of origami, the ceiling is an extravagant 3D interpretation of the traditional 'asanoha' pattern. With its star-shaped vaulted ceiling, the second pre-function unites the oak framework structures of the grand meeting room and studios off to each side. Here, the carpet is in rich shades of gold, reflecting the autumn foliage of the ginkgo trees, seen just outside the window. The grand meeting room has the airy feeling of an open structure and can is also used as a wedding chapel.
To connect and separate the spaces of the 3rd floor - the social heart of the hotel - a continuous sheer curtain with sharp origami-style pleats flows all around: from check-in to living room, from bar to restaurant. With this overarching gesture, boundaries are blurred, and guests flow naturally through the spaces. Above the living room floats a cloud of lamps. White “neon” shines through translucent boxes, in a desaturated homage to Osaka's nightlife. It's as if the colors of the neon have dripped on top of the furniture, arranged in a rainbow colorsequence. As the people of Osaka love manzai-comedy, a round stage offers plenty of opportunity to speak up, show yourself and perform!
Behind the concierge desk, concrete celebrates W's diverse and inclusive audience with a styling cabinet full of custom made unique and colorful kokeshi dolls.
Restaurant 'Oh.lala…' offers an alll-day French and international dining experience. French cuisine is a favorite in Japan and forms the main inspiration behind the concept and interior design of Oh.lala... From traditional French cuisine’s copper pots and pans to the blue and white stripes of the typical Breton shirt. This French themed bistro-diner creates a French atmosphere whilst staying true to the boldness of Osaka.
The hotel’s exclusive sushi bar - with just 10 seats - has a raised platform of Japanese zelkova hardwood and a matching, crafted wooden rectangle frame suspended from the ceiling. The bottom of the frame forms a dining table – as guests enjoy a framed view of the city of Osaka and Ukiyo’s sushi chef creating culinary masterpieces at a stainless steel counter, elevating this dining experience into a work of art.
Health & wellness is found on the 4th floor consisting of the AWAY spa, WET area and FIT gym. Here, guests can fuel themselves, reflecting W’s wellness philosophy of 'Detox.Retox.Repeat'. Inspired by the Japanese love for nature, the wellness area is characterized by smooth walls & corners and live plants, bringing nature indoors. Each area of the wellness floor has its own character, color-coded in shades of green, grey, blue or pink tiling to define the space’s function. When exiting the lifts, guests are welcomed at the beautybar. A wavy sheer curtain defines the beauty pod where you can get a quick massage.
The blue tiled pool area has a stepped coved ceiling, which consists of rgb led-lighting reflecting Osaka's vibrant neon. Connected with the pool area and open to the elements, W Osaka’s courtyard is an oasis, with live planting trailing down the walls of the atrium – enhancing the element of bringing nature indoors.
Entering the guest room through the walnut-clad hallway, the semi-open bathroom is immediate visible – with the line of site passing through the sleeping zone to the living room area. Famous for their gamer’s pixel art, eBoy graphic designers created a “pixorama” of Osaka, filled to the brim with the city’s famous landmarks in full pixilated color. This design fully covers the interior of the closet – for a burst of playful fun. Floor-to-ceiling windows bring in natural light and views of the city. The high counter desk at the window serves also as a bar. Kampai!
Inspired by traditional Japanese homes, the presidential 'ewow' suite was designed in a sequence of 5 rooms divided by deep, oak portals with sliding shoji screens. The overall design is based on the duality of simplicity and extravagance, allowing guests to change the atmosphere
