Park Hyatt Kyoto by Tonychi Studio and Takenaka Corporation: 2020 Best of Year Winner for International Chain Hotel

Naturally, Tony Chi steeped the Park Hyatt Kyoto with the myriad influences of Japanese architecture and design, particularly the city’s ancient culture and the site’s surrounding Higashiyama Hills. The Interior Design Hall of Fame member dubs the property a “modern mountain house,” albeit one with 70 guest accommodations and a host of amenities. Its serene sense of place starts with a low-ceilinged, tile-roofed arrival procession, giving way to an environment that is the very embodiment of East meets West. In other words, artisanal craftsmanship using local materials, including fragrant Tamo wood, meets contemporary curation. As Chi explains: “Inside, pitched wood overhead suits carefully selected cosmopolitan furniture,” including pieces from Carl Hansen and Søn and Giorgetti. Glass walls heighten the modernist experience, bringing guests ever closer to the surrounding lush landscape. Those lucky enough to have booked particular suites have their own private Japanese gardens. They are an added layer of stillness removed from the bustling city, renowned for its Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, imperial palaces, and, yes, wooden houses.

Project Team: Tony Chi; Alison Chi; William Paley; David Singer; Robert Louey (Tonychi Studio).

> See the full list of winners and honorees from Best of Year 2020