INTERIORS
The interiors, minimalist and meditative, offer an intimate exploration of blurred boundaries – between light and dark, inside and out, humans and nature.
The design journey begins at the threshold. Like black boxes floating in the forest, the charred cedar wood facades of the ten pavilions dramatically give way to light-flooded interiors, with aromatic hinoki cypress wood flowing seamlessly across every surface, from cabinets to ceilings.
Inside, the sense of stillness is not dissimilar to a centuries-old tearoom or temple. The purity of the wood creates a perfect backdrop for mid-century furniture classics, a scattering of rare antiques and the poetic time-traveled lines of ukiyo-e woodblock prints on the walls.
Wellness lies at the heart of SSH No.03. It’s designed as a retreat from the modern world, a sacred space for contemplation and creativity – as embodied by the Teahouse, where guests can enjoy special tea rituals, and the Bathhouse, with its deep hinoki bathtub-with-a-view.
PAVILIONS
Minimalist, floating and box-like, the pavilions are defined by their dark facades and contrasting light interiors. There are ten rooms and one villa spanning the ten pavilions, some with Western-style beds, others with futons unrolled nightly on tatami mat floors. Sitting at the end of a corridor or walkway – to ensure both connection and privacy – the structures span two levels, with cut-out windows framing seasonal views across forests or Japanese gardens.
Stepping inside, the calming citrus-edged aroma of hinoki fills the air. Light monotone expanses of the wood flow seamlessly across the interior space, from the Nishizawa-designed cabinets and bed fixtures to the walls, floors and ceilings. Guests can wind down in bespoke Ploh yukata gowns, sip a warming tea in Cecilie Manz-designed 1616 / arita japan porcelain cups and soak in wooden bathtubs.
FURNITURE
Every piece of furniture tells a story. Nishizawa personally sourced a world-class collection of iconic furniture designs to add an additional creative layer to the serenity of the architecture.
And so guests can sit and read a book on the angular solid teak and cane lines of a 1955 Easy Chair designed by Swiss architect (and lesser known cousin of Le Corbusier) Pierre Jeanneret; sip tea while cocooned in the organic curves of Arne Jacobsen’s 1958 Swan Chair; or meditate on seasonal garden views while perched on a classic 1859 Bentwood Stool by Michael Thonet.
TEAHOUSE /
BATHHOUSE /
LOUNGES
The timeless art of wellness is center stage at SSH No.03. Tea rituals unfold in the Teahouse, where guests can pause from the fast pace of modern life and enjoy a contemporary take on traditional tea ceremony.
Meanwhile, it’s all about bathing in the Bathhouse, a special pavilion designed by Nishizawa to house a large sunken hinoki bathtub with garden views. Private yoga sessions and wellness treatments are also available.
There is also an ochanoma Lounge on both levels of SSH No.03, where guests can pause to enjoy a peaceful taste of the seasons, through teas and traditional Japanese sweets.
ARCHITECTURE
Transparent, light and soul-soothingly serene, a scattered network of ten pavilions – connected yet private – offers a deeply meditative escape from the modern world.
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