Dan Setsu Sapporo

The “FIFTH SEASONS HOTEL” series captures the “fifth season” as the unique climate and regional characteristics of a place, offering a special experience. “Dan Setsu Sapporo” is one of the hotels planned in this series, and our firm had the honor of designing and producing the bathroom and sauna spaces in collaboration with Mr. Daisuke Matsuo of TTNT. “Dan Setsu” serves not only as the hotel name but also as a conceptual word representing the “anticipation, vitality, and beauty of the transition from the cold winter of Hokkaido to the warm spring,” which was to be expressed in both the large public bath and sauna spaces. Additionally, the client provided us with themes such as “expressing Hokkaido’s uniqueness” and “aiming for a hotel with many repeat visitors,” through which we developed the spatial design with three core themes.

The first theme is the spatial expression of “Dan Setsu.” To create a space that evokes the seemingly contradictory image of “warm snow,” we unified the entire space with a simple monochrome-based design. Yet, where people would touch or interact with the space, we used natural materials, allowing users to feel warmth through the materials themselves. This design embodies the concept of “a cool space that still feels warm.” Since the bathing area assumes the use of the space without clothes, the materials in direct contact with the skin have a significant impact on the experience. For this reason, we used natural wood for items like chairs, benches, and changing lockers. Additionally, the outdoor relaxation chairs for the air bath are custom-designed by our firm in collaboration with Daisuke Matsuo.

The second theme, “Expressing Hokkaido’s Uniqueness,” was achieved by using Hokkaido-grown materials for as many of the natural materials as possible. Natural materials like wood and stone provide varied tactile experiences, such as coldness, warmth, smoothness, or roughness, which connect the users with the essence of Hokkaido. We used the distinctive regional material, Sapporo soft stone, with a rough finish on the outer walls of the sauna. In the changing rooms and outdoor lounge, vertical lattices made from Southern Hokkaido cedar were used. Additionally, we stacked “Kanran stone,” a Hokkaido specialty sauna stone, around the sauna stove. Through these rich natural materials from Hokkaido, we aimed to create a bath space where users can experience Hokkaido through their five senses. As a symbolic accent of Hokkaido, we placed a custom-designed ceramic bear figure at the water filling station after the sauna.

The third theme, “Aiming for a Hotel with Many Repeat Visitors,” focused on creating not only a beautiful space but also a functional and stress-free design with attention to flow and usability. We believed that a space with a comfortable user experience would lead to higher satisfaction and repeat visits. The extensive use of natural materials was also intended to ensure users enjoyed a comfortable experience.

The design of Dan Setsu Sapporo marks our first collaboration with Daisuke Matsuo, a key figure in the development and evolution of Japanese sauna culture. The collaboration began with a tour of several sauna facilities around Sapporo, led by Matsuo, where we discussed the core concepts of the project. Afterward, we communicated through CG images and drawings, sharing ideas for each area, which led to a shared understanding without needing extensive verbal communication, naturally enhancing the design’s quality. Ultimately, the design resulted in a sauna space that is “simple, naturally harmonious, and timeless.” There are no flashy elements or extravagant designs, but once experienced, the space’s goodness gradually becomes apparent, creating a pleasing and comfortable bathing environment.