Andre Fu has completed the interiors of the Hotel Mitsui Kyoto in Japan. The renowned designer steers the hotel's guestrooms and public space interiors, a modern interpretation of Kyoto's history and heritage. Kyoto is a city with a long history, well preserved at a particular time and place, yet with a distinct modernity.

The Hotel Mitsui Kyoto blends the beauty of Japan with the heritage of Kyoto, built on the site of the former home of the Kitake, the executive arm of the Mitsui family, directly facing the city center of Nij. Andre Fu drew inspiration from the three words that guided him: real, mysterious and handmade. With a deep understanding of the traditions of the former inhabitants of the Mitsui family, Fu's aim was to preserve a sense of tradition while superimposing it with a contemporary interpretation of Kyoto history.

"Personally, I have always been fascinated by Kyoto as a city," Fu said. It's a stagnant town, a place with plenty of real moments to embrace. I want my design to convey the heritage of Kyoto as a city. I want guests to experience the same sense of peace and quiet that I had here." Kyoto itself contains many Japanese beauties in one city. From kimono craftsmen to sword makers, there are professional craftsmen who devote their lives to a single trade. In designing the hotel, Fu worked closely with local craftsmen and artists to incorporate the true spirit of Kyoto into the hotel.

The designer's quest for elegance and understated luxury in the 161 rooms and suites is evident. Guests enter through the restored 18th-century Kajiimiya door, while low-slung furniture inside birch floors and plush adds to the pervasive sense of serenity. Dining options include Italian or Japanese teppanyaki, led by renowned chefs Shozo Sugano and Tetsuya Asano, respectively, and the Garden Bar offers cocktails year-round. Guests can soak in a hot spring or private spa before or after a meal.

In order to enhance the intimacy of the lobby area, André Fu clad its walls in sycamore and suspended an enormous Shoji lantern from the ceiling. In addition, he collaborated with Japanese artist Yukiya Izumita to create pieces that add a rustic quality, such as the centerpiece; A large ceramic sculpture evoking antiquity and modernity, fragility and strength, and vulnerability and resilience. Adjacent to the lobby, the double-height lounge features a sleek open fireplace carved out of a monolithic block of stone that emphasizes its role as a gathering place. Above this area, an installation reminiscent of flowing kimono fabric hand-painted with a pattern hangs from the ceiling, reflecting the water element of the garden outside.

For the hotel’s exterior spaces, fu worked with kyoto landscape master Shunsaku Miyagi, who developed the courtyard garden as a visual focus for the lobby and a theatrical element for the tea lounge. The lounge areas, interior garden spaces and water features blend together, embodying ‘Teioku Ichinyo’ – the Japanese concept of absolute harmony between the building and the garden. Carefully placed stone lanterns and decorative rock features complete the hotel’s artisanal landscape.