LECEB SESOKO VILLA Seaside Deluxe Suite

A One-Group-a-Day Hotel for Simply Gazing at the Sea

A hotel on Sesoko Island, Okinawa, where only one group stays per day. How to draw in the Okinawan sea spread out in front, while preserving the sense of privacy that is the brand’s concept—that became the theme of the design. On the west side of Sesoko Island lies the beautiful Sesoko Beach where the sun sets, and at the time design began, large hotels were starting to appear nearby. If we could not compete with large hotels on activities, then perhaps a hotel for slowly gazing at nothing but the sea—“simply savoring nature and giving oneself over to it”—would be better. That was the conclusion we reached. The plan comprises two wings. In the Seaside Deluxe Suite, the building emphasizes the horizon so that the sea can be seen broadly, while the pool and approach, at the owner’s suggestion, were given a curving design. Passing through the arc-shaped approach, one reaches a living room with a 4m ceiling, with a dining area behind it, where breakfast can also be enjoyed outdoors. The bedroom wing is reached by way of the outdoors, so that guests can experience Okinawa’s nature even during their stay. Each bedroom has its own dedicated wet area, so privacy is maintained even when two families stay. Scattering materials that evoke nature—antique water jars, solid-wood sideboards—we aimed for “a resort space to spend doing nothing.”