Designing an exciting new destination for today’s generation of nomad adventurers
Hong Kong, June 17, 2020 – Eight Partnership has created a new hospitality brand in the exclusive mountain resort of Karuizawa, Japan, the traditional summer retreat for the Japanese royal family. Eight was assigned to create the brand, architecture and interiors. The Twin-Line Hotel, developed and operated by Kato Pleasure Group (KPG), a hospitality company with a diverse portfolio of businesses ranging from marketing, planning, conceptual work to operations, is set to become a vibrant new destination for today’s generation of adventurers, who seek more than simply a place to rest their head, but a true travel experience where stories are swapped and experiences shared.
Eight developed the strategy, name and visual identity for the hotel, which is located in the Shinonome area, just a few minutes’ walk from the resort’s main railway station. This highly accessible location, coupled with Karuizawa’s distinctive casual and contemporary chic atmosphere, attracts both the traditional holiday revellers from Tokyo, as well as increasingly the ‘nomadic travellers’ of a digital-savvy generation, who love to meet new people and discover new places, and yet also demand a strong sense of design and comfort.
To appeal to them, Eight created a brand story woven around the ‘Twin-Line’ name, which speaks to the idea of two destinies unfolding in parallel, symbolising the connections we make as we travel - planned or serendipitous. The clean and minimalist logo captures this visually, with two dashes simply nestled side-by-side.
In collaboration with Sayo Muroi, branding and art director from Saiun Design and Koji Koyama, from Brooks Studio, Eight also created the architecture and interior design, shaping common spaces that truly bring people together in a spirit of conviviality and shared experiences, and rooms that are warm, comfortable and enjoyable. The core focus of the interior is the combined bistro-lounge-lobby whose center piece is a dramatic, vertical hearth-fire, a place of both physical and spiritual warmth - almost like a central campfire for the nomads to huddle around.
“Twin-Line Hotel is a winning combination of Eight’s understanding of hospitality trends in Japan and beyond, showcasing convincing storytelling, and immersive design”, says Chris Fjelddahl, Partner. “Appealing to an emerging generation of digital nomads who love to share stories, swap creative ideas, and engage one other in new experiences, Twin-Line will be the meeting point of two distinct aspects of Karuizawa - one rooted in the town’s legacy of elegance, with the other looking firmly towards the future of travel.”
To learn more about Twin-Line Hotel, please visit www.twin-line-hotel.com.