Incredible Okinawa Getaway Blends Nature and Luxury
Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) has unveiled its latest design, the Vertex Hotel, located on the island of Okinawa, Japan. This project marks the firm’s first hotel brand, NOT A HOTEL, and its inaugural venture, HERITAGE by NOT A HOTEL, reinterprets architectural heritage through a contemporary lens.
Vertex Hotel: A Blend of Nature and Luxury
The hotel’s design is a continuation of ZHA’s research on composition and materiality, driven by explorations of landscape formations evident in nature. As Ludovico Lombardi, ZHA Project Director, explains, “Informed by the siteโs remarkable topography, the design is a continuation of ZHAโs ongoing research of composition and materiality that is driven by explorations of landscape formations evident in nature.” The stepped canopies of the hotel gently transition from the unique geology of the shoreline to the dense vegetation of the rain forest, providing uninterrupted ocean views and a deep connection to the surrounding environment.
Sustainable Design
Environmental considerations have been a guiding principle shaping the hotel’s architectural design and engineering, site strategy, material selection, and procurement. The hotel’s structure is designed to optimize natural ventilation, reduce energy consumption, and minimize environmental impact. The use of local materials, such as Okinawa pine and limestone, and recycled aggregates from redundant structures, embodies a circular approach to construction.
Project Details
Location: Okinawa, Japan
Client: NOT A HOTEL Co., Ltd.
Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)
Principal: Patrik Schumacher
Project Director: Ludovico Lombardi
Local Architect: Kume Sekkei
Structural Engineers: Kume Sekkei
MEP: Kume Sekkei
