I realise it was only recently that we paid our respect to the celebrated Australian architect Kerry Hill who sadly passed away a few weeks ago, but I couldn’t resist sharing another one of his beautiful projects – and one of my personal favourites – the Amanemu Resort in Ise Shima National Park in Japan.
Forming part of luxury hotel brand Aman, Amanemu takes cues from traditional Japanese ryokan, comprising a series of pavilion structures, housing 24 suites and four villas – each with a private hot spring bath.
According to Aman group CEO, Olivier Jolivet, the onsen resort offers ‘an enriching, holistic experience that is very much centred on wellness and tradition’. The design draws on Japan’s historical minka homes, featuring low-slung tiled roofs and dark-stained cedar exteriors. Interiors are dotted with woven textiles, timber sliding doors and wooden screens, handcrafted using the Kumiko technique dating back to the 7th century.