Project: BnA Hotel Koenji
Architect: Makeshift
Location: Koenji, Tokyo, Japan
BnA Hotel Koenji was designed by Makeshift Architecture in Koenji, Tokyo, Japan. The hotel takes the BnA (Bed and Art) concept a step further, by turning the entire creative city of Koenji into an art hotel.
BnA plans to acquire and build out art rooms all over Koenji, forming clusters that operate together as one hotel. Guests will check in at the main building’s Front Desk, and be led to their rooms through the “hallways” of Koenji. This citywide hotel will offer guests more opportunities to connect with the local community and get a feel for its distinctive vibe. Building on this idea, BnA also plans to partner with local business, offering stays that include complimentary breakfasts at the area’s cafés, bike rentals, or soaks at the local sento (public bath).
As the first step, BnA opened the central building on March 2016. The building features a cafe/bar, gallery, rooftop terrace as well as two art hotel rooms.
The café and bar, dubbed Front Desk, acts as a literal check-in point for guests as well as a hub for local artists to “check in” with one another and share ideas.
The rooftop terrace is open to the public during the day, providing a venue for creative individuals to network with and stimulate one another.
The subterranean art gallery situated below Front Desk offers a unique opportunity for up and coming international artists. The planned “artist in residence” program will provided free accommodations to chosen artists in Koenji for ten days, during which they literally live inside the gallery while transforming it into a radically personal installation.
