NOT A HOTEL ANYWHERE | DDAA

NOT A HOTEL ANYWHERE is an experimental venture that began with a request to develop a brand new, extra cellular, location-independent way of life primarily based on classic trailers. In reply to the consumer’s request for 5 rental automobiles, we proposed making dwelling areas out of 5, every with a single operate, akin to a bed room or research automotive. Our idea was to supply a extra significant lifestyle than conventional residences, by which one could select a automobile as wanted and take it on a journey with out being tied to a particular space.

© Kenta Hasegawa

NOT A HOTEL ANYWHERE’s Design Idea

Two of the 5 automobiles renovated this time have been bigger Spartan vans, whereas the opposite three have been Airstream tenting trailers. We reconstructed providers which are tough to acquire regionally – a shower, kitchen, snacks, or “snack bar” (defined in larger element later) – and extremely personal capabilities – a bed room and research – to be used within the automobiles. A bigger front room seems to be extra opulent. Putting a tarp between the automobiles gives a giant out of doors dwelling space the place you possibly can embody the environment wherever you go. The spacious bed room truck serves as a front room different on wet days.

© Kenta Hasegawa

As a result of the thought is concentrated on mobility, there is no such thing as a set location. We additionally need customers to have the ability to recognize the vacation spot’s numerous sceneries in any respect hours. This venture has a contradictory situation: it necessitates a common design adaptable to various contexts whereas respecting the distinctiveness of locations but to be seen. We switched supplies between the higher and decrease parts of the trailer to permit for a 360-degree view from the home windows in any atmosphere, concentrating all mandatory capabilities in every trailer within the decrease half, which doesn’t intrude with the home windows in order that no practical volumes seem above waist degree.

© Kenta Hasegawa

The furnishings parts that ultimately protrude into the trailer’s higher half are all product of mesh or translucent supplies or have low volumes. We retained the present texture of the historic trailer as a lot as attainable to keep away from producing pointless contrasts on the exterior shells, including small changes akin to waterproofing.

© Kenta Hasegawa

Sunakku, a sort of hostess bar that flourished through the Showa period and is now part of Japan’s distinctive evening tradition, was additionally given on the consumer’s request. Sunakku, with its distinctive décor, is a dynamic interplay the place the hostess/host interacts with purchasers over-the-counter, and prospects get pleasure from dialogue and singing. To create a snacks-like atmosphere, we used velvet-upholstered excessive seats, a karaoke monitor, and substantial, luxurious-looking supplies in our snack bar design.

© Kenta Hasegawa

We had to consider finding vital capabilities in every area whereas nonetheless assembly all of the rules for driving automobiles on public roads, akin to putting in license plates. Every automobile contains box-like wheelhouses that reach into the inside and act as splash guards. We devised strategies to cover the wheelhouses in order that they weren’t seen. An enormous mattress, for instance, is put in Bed room 2 to cover the wheelhouses, leading to a flooring plan unaffected by the automobile’s structural limits.

© Kenta Hasegawa

Infrastructure is a elementary problem in planning a cellular and unrestrained way of life. The specs of dwelling requirements akin to energy and water fluctuate considerably relying on the variety of tenants. Because of this, we determined to determine infrastructure situations such that three households with eight members may reside collectively as comfortably as possible. We additionally investigated the prospect of getting fully off the grid. Nevertheless, if we needed to make use of photo voltaic panels, on-site energy era, or different new autonomous decentralized infrastructure as an alternative of counting on public infrastructure for water provide, drainage, and electrical energy, we would want to strengthen the gear to the purpose the place a separate infrastructure automobile, along with the trailers, could be required.

© Kenta Hasegawa

This might make journey inconceivable, subsequently defeating the venture’s preliminary intention. Lastly, we selected a system that might briefly hyperlink to current infrastructure. We used a base camp at Aoshima, Miyazaki Prefecture, with the open sea in entrance of it whereas remaining off-grid appropriate.

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