Capsule Hotel – 9 Hours from Christoph on Vimeo.

In Walden, Thoreau, upon seeing a tool shed measuring 6-by-3 feet, mused that a man could live comfortably in such capsule-like quarters, which offered freedom through economy (“economy is a subject which admits of being treated with levity, but it could hardly be disposed of.”) Now, most of us can hardly gauge the possibility of spending one night in such a box, let alone maintaining permanent residence in it. That is, unless you live in Tokyo.

Capsule hotels have existed in Japan for the past thirty years, but the 9 Hours “hotel” is distinguished by its minimalist design, characterized by clean lines and simple graphics. Designed by Cubic Corp. in collaboration with Studio S, the hotel experience is distilled down to the essential services one expects from a hotel which are then related across a time schedule: 1 hour to shower + seven hours to sleep + 1 hour to rest = 9 hours. Whether the guest must adhere to that strict linear cycle remains unknown. Aside from the conceit, the little hotel is impressive in the way its aesthetic is carried across all scales–everything has been designed, from sleepingwear and hand towels to the light-based system which acts as a silent wake-up alarm for guests inside the capsules. Sounds comfy, doesn’t it?

[via Laughing Squid]

by Samuel Medina

posted in New Projects Video

tagged 9 hours, capsule hotel, design, Hotel, japan, tokyo

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