Kukan Design Awards 2021 - KUKAN OF THE YEAR (Japan)

In Japanese culture, KUKAN (space) concept regards physical space and "Ma," which define as the distance between the hearts of those present in that space, the changes of affairs, and the passage of time. Therefore, design spaces are to create tremendous potential for people, society and epochs.

Established to connect the value of spatial design to the future, the KUKAN DESIGN AWARD is the most esteemed of such awards in Japan. The mission behind the KUKAN DESIGN AWARD is to mine the salutation of our society's multi-faceted challenges and breakthrough to a hopeful future.

The total of 887 entries into eleven different categories in the 2021 Kukan Design Award. Thirteen judges selected two projects as the grand prizes for the Kukan of the year also named as Nikkei Inc Award. The winning projects are Mirai Convenience Store and The House with a public bath "KUWAMIZU SENTO."

KUKAN OF THE YEAR: MIRAI CONVENIENCE STORE, design by KOKUYO Co.,Ltd.

Chief Designer: Wataru SATO

Our quest on this project was to find how the convenience store could be that brings up children and create future of KITO area.

Then our answer after due consideration was the architecture which embrace the mother nature and identity of KITO, and the architecture which people living there are proud of, and the architecture which evokes the sympathy from the world, rather than the extensional design of existing concepts.

I think this designing was like a creation of “original” story assembling the pieces of the world of local people and KITO, from the past to the future.

I would like to celebrate this honorable award with all people in this story making project.

Photo by Keita Yamamoto / Nacasa & Partners Inc.

KUKAN OF THE YEAR: The house with a public bath “KUWAMIZU SENTO".

Kuroiwa Structural Engineers

CEO: Yuuki KUROIWA

We are delighted to be chosen for KUKAN OF THE YEAR of Kukan Design Award 2021. Our team could receive this honorable award thanks to many people. Friends of owners helped the construction, and each of the area leaders and neighbors kindly supported for the application of new public bath establishment. Last but not least, we would like to thank the owners and their parents who manage the daily operation of the facility. Encouraged by this award, we continue to seek for the ways of housing that support people in emergency situation beyond the concepts of public space and private space, and we would like to contribute to the community.

Photo by Shigeo Ogawa

For more information about Kukan Design Award, please visit: https://kukan.design/en/

The Ultimate Nostalgia Tai’an’s Ceremony Hall - The Hometown Moon

The Possibilities of a New Hometown

An assortment of colourful banners welcomes passengers at the high-speed train station in Tai’an, China. The headlines perched above the Jiunv Crest (Nine Women’s Peak) showcase a Hometown Moon or a Hometown Cloud, inviting people to walk on the moon or wander around the cloud. The intriguing wording is part of a creative campaign inviting travellers to visit attractions lying beyond the main scenic area of Mount Tai. The strategy looks to breathe new life into Nine Women’s Peak, a branch of the famous mount that gives its name to the city of Tai’an.

At the beginning of 2019, Shandong Lushang Group commissioned Syn Architects to develop the overall planning and design of the mountainous area, its villages, and the Hometown Moon, the representative structure of the project. In no time at all, a Hometown Cloud state of mind began to spread out. Fei Xiang’s theme, Hometown Cloud, was played repeatedly in the building. The romantic song from the ’80s swayed people’s emotions, creating a nostalgic atmosphere. Nine Women’s Peak drew attention on social media, bringing new people, new faces, new industries, and new possibilities to the area around Dongximen Village. The region of humble villages became an online phenomenon that attracted thousands of tourists. During the project, Lushang Group effectively used the image of “a cloud” to demonstrate the enormous value of architecture as a communication medium.

However, a series of scattered constructions is not enough to stimulate the growth of a region. Thus, the online popularity of the Hometown Cloud slowed down in less than a year. Today, Lushang Group demands a long-term holistic approach that can connect the string of mountain villages in the 55 square kilometres area. The definition of industrial and spatial structures and the introduction of new wonders that satisfy visitors looking for fresh experiences is needed too. In this regard, Syn Architects integrates daily life, industrial development, and environmental science in every project. Taking advantage of its years of practical experience in rural areas, the firm developed client markets in Jinan, Shandong province’s capital city. Additionally, attractions such as the Balou Theater and the Hometown Moon, and their supporting facilities, were unveiled one after the other. In this way, Syn Architects returns to the birthplace of Confucianism, rebuilding the relationship between dualities such as the city and the countryside, modern society, and homesickness, searching for forgotten values and neglected possibilities.

The Moon is the Light of Our Hometown

The original concept for the Hometown Moon comes from the developer. During the Mid-Autumn Festival of 2019, a moon-shaped balloon with a diameter of 10 meters was lit up in Nianhua Bay, spreading magical colours and lights all around. Inspired by the scene, the Lushang Group hopes to light up a full moon at the Nine Women’s Peak and write the next chapter in intellectual property for designed hometowns.

Mr. Zou Yingxi, the lead architect and planner of the project, hopes to infuse a deep meaning into the artificial moon. He longs for a moon that never sets. According to this rhetoric, the building functions as a ceremony hall designed to escape conventionalisms. Among its main features, the structure attracts locals and tourists from other provinces, can host ceremonies and events, and provide spiritual and operational values that strengthen the village’s resources.

An ancient poem from the Song Dynasty ponders the nature of perspective and emotion: “the clouds and the moon remain the same, but mountains and rivers evolve throughout time.” Modern-day catalysts are also capable of evoking nostalgia, regardless of location. As such, an architectural poem about the moon does not need to relate to the classical symbol. Under this philosophy, Syn Architects combines abstract geometrical shapes and simple materials to create a pure space with complex visuals that stimulate the soul, leaving traditional figurative expressions behind.

The Route Guidance

The parking lot is the last reminder of modern civilization. To access the Hometown Moon, visitors must go through a purifying road. It takes about five to ten minutes to walk along the path between mountains and streams. The entrance lies behind a boulder. From here on, visitors begin to enjoy communion with nature. Birds singing, insects chirping, rustling leaves, gurgling streams, and hearts beating with joy and anticipation; the sounds of nature make visitors feel at ease. After crossing a mountain, a river, and exploring a few curved pathways, visitors finally arrive at the building. Here, they ponder about the intriguing nature of the architecture. And on the emotional side, their senses of hearing and smell are stimulated by their natural surroundings.

The long and winding paths increase the curiosity of visitors. Attracted by a building in the middle of nature, they suddenly find themselves inside the structure, wondering about the charms of an inverted moon. Like Buddhist meditation, the experience develops insight by feeling the background of mountains and forests to complete a mental reorganization, soothing the souls of urban residents. Along the plank road, there are playgrounds, cabin camps, bonfire areas, and anti-fog devices. These and other similar spaces enrich the experience and the dimension of the project.

Bridges on top of the structure allow visitors to contemplate the moon by the reflecting pond without entering the building. There is a plank road connection between the group of bridges and the mountain that grants access for this purpose. If there is an ongoing ceremony in the room, the door on the roof can be closed to avoid interference. If there is no activity in the room, visitors touched by the moon on the ceiling can enter the building and contemplate the lower half of the moon.

The parking lot is the last reminder of modern civilization. To access the Hometown Moon, visitors must go through a purifying road. It takes about five to ten minutes to walk along the path between mountains and streams. The entrance lies behind a boulder. From here on, visitors begin to enjoy communion with nature. Birds singing, insects chirping, rustling leaves, gurgling streams, and hearts beating with joy and anticipation; the sounds of nature make visitors feel at ease. After crossing a mountain, a river, and exploring a few curved pathways, visitors finally arrive at the building. Here, they ponder about the intriguing nature of the architecture. And on the emotional side, their senses of hearing and smell are stimulated by their natural surroundings.

The long and winding paths increase the curiosity of visitors. Attracted by a building in the middle of nature, they suddenly find themselves inside the structure, wondering about the charms of an inverted moon. Like Buddhist meditation, the experience develops insight by feeling the background of mountains and forests to complete a mental reorganization, soothing the souls of urban residents. Along the plank road, there are playgrounds, cabin camps, bonfire areas, and anti-fog devices. These and other similar spaces enrich the experience and the dimension of the project.

 Interventions

When the surroundings become gray, the visitors are officially inside the territory of the moon. The building occupies more than 1,000 square meters consisting of the moon, the cavity, and the grey space. Inspired by the mountain stream by the base of the building, the designer uses architecture as a medium to reproduce the romantic idea of a moon born on the sea.

The placement of the Hometown Moon was designated considering several factors: the altitude needs to remain moderate, and the building must not block the mountains behind it. It should not be blocked by the hill in front of it either. Proportion-wise, the diameter of the moon and the area of the water surface must match to ensure that the architectural piece and its reflection on the water form a full moon together. Furthermore, the cavity in the building needs to contain half of the moon with a diameter of 12 meters. The space also needs to allow the appropriate height required to host ceremonies.

The depth of the roof pond needs to consider the water evaporation rate. In this regard, a water reservoir 0.5 meters deep and a central interlayer device work together to reduce the hydration frequency. The ceremonial space needs to remain column-free, and the form and shape of the full moon need to limit the thickness of the beams. A ribbed and beamless concrete floor meets the load-bearing requirements of the structure at a reasonable price too.

Syn Architects takes advantage of the materials available in the area to adopt a limited intervention approach. The strategy consists of widening the base of the valley before erecting the building. Such a method also preserves the original spillway to help prevent natural disasters. The foundations are dug according to the calculated diameter of the moon and the space desired. Furthermore, the rocky and mossy walls of the mountain remain untouched as a natural limit to the project. In this way, the walls showcase the struggle between man and nature while further participating in the aesthetic concept.

The natural scenery is the starting point of the Hometown Moon. Indeed, nature is the catalyst that feeds the imagination of architects. They ensure that the solution is reasonable, achieving goals and fulfilling spatial and functional requirements by maximizing the integration with nature.

Project Information
Project Name: The Hometown Moon
Location: Daolang Town, Tai’an City, Shandong Province
Client: Taian Lushang Jiunvfeng Rural Revitalization Co., Ltd.

Project type: Architecture Design, Landscape Design, Interior Design

Design Period: 2019.10-2020.7

Construction Period: 2020.7 -2021.6
Site Area: 1866 sqm | Architecture Area: 1469 sqm | Interior Area: 856 sqm | FAR: 0.78 | Green Rate: 30% | Function: Chapel

Project Team：

Chief Architect：Zou Yingxi
Project Architect: Liu Yuan, Jin Nan

Interior Design Team: Xia Fuqiang, Qian Guoxing, Cao Zhenzhen, Liu Tingting, Li Qianxi

Interior Rendering Team: Feng Yan, Guo Mengjia, Li Hui

Landscape Design Team: Jin Nan, Xu Lu, Liu Shuang, Li Beibei, Liang Jingqi

Architecture Rendering Team: Zhu Feng, Chen Lan, Liang Xiaoting, Ruan Jianjun, Shi Lina, Tang Tang, Zheng Lihua, Liu Shuang (Sketch)

Contractor: Shandong Tai Shan Puhui Construction Ltd,.

Structural Engineer：Wang Qiang, Yang Jian, Yan Dongqiang

MEP Consultant：Huang Yuanzheng, Mei Yantao, Ji Pengcheng

Lighting Design：Create stars studio lighting design

Other consultants：Feng Yasong, Liao Shijie, Chen Lu, Xu Yan, Zheng Shuai

Main Contractor: Shandong Tai Shan Puhui Construction Ltd,.
Materials：

Slab, Glass, Wood Panels, Stainless Steel Panels / Photographer: Zheng Yan/ Video: Huasheng

“Since the completion of the building, it has started a dialogue with users and nature. I look forward to seeing it being modified over time, further blending with the environment as the trees grow.

Each architecture has two destinies: being destroyed or being protected. I look forward to creating an architecture that is reluctant to be destroyed. It will be the highest achievement of my career. For this reason, I will bestow deeper meaning to my architecture and create more emotional bonds for its users. I hope that the moon can become this kind of architecture. Even if it disappears in time, it will still exist in our spiritual world.”.

Zou Yingxi

Lead Architect

of SYN Architects

“Since the completion of the building, it has started a dialogue with users and nature. I look forward to seeing it being modified over time, further blending with the environment as the trees grow.

Each architecture has two destinies: being destroyed or being protected. I look forward to creating an architecture that is reluctant to be destroyed. It will be the highest achievement of my career. For this reason, I will bestow deeper meaning to my architecture and create more emotional bonds for its users. I hope that the moon can become this kind of architecture. Even if it disappears in time, it will still exist in our spiritual world.”.

5 young talents selected for "UNDER 30! at DesignArt Tokyo

“DESIGNART TOKYO” is one of Japan’s most significant design and art festivals. Now is when new ideas, creative thinking, and actions that embody them are particularly needed, DESIGNART TOKYO, with this year’s theme: “CHANCE!” will showcase innovative design and art from Tokyo to the world. Varieties of creators and brands have already confirmed their participation in this multi-venue festival, and five fresh talents are selected for the “UNDER30” program that supports young creators. Here are some of the agenda of DESIGNART TOKYO 2021:

Five young talents selected for “UNDER30”!

Since its first year, DESIGNART TOKYO has been supporting young creators through the “UNDER 30” program. Among many competitive applicants, five international creators have been selected by the founders of DESIGNART.

AROUNDANT

Kentaro Takagi's "W-M project" is an attempt to create a new textile that is beyond anyone's control by combining the structure of a loom and the movement created by playing an instrument.

"Less than instrument" by Soichiro Tanaka is a lighting work in which a Led chip is embedded in expanded metal, which is a building material, giving the impression that there is no light source. Based on the creative activities that each of them has done, "purism" is set as a common theme, and two works that have been updated according to DESIGNART TOKYO 2021 will be exhibited.

https://www.aroundant.com

Kathleen Reilly

Kathleen Reilly is a Scottish artist and metalworker based in Tsubame city in Japan’s Niigata prefecture. She graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2018 and is represented by Gallery S O in London.

Exploring new territory in how we interact with every day, artist, and metalworker Kathleen Reilly presents Oku, a new knife design made in collaboration with local cutlery manufacturers in Tsubame city.

www.kathleenreilly.co.uk

ATSUSHI SHINDO

Atsushi Shindo works as an interior designer. His works focus on the primitive charm of unremarkable materials that are closely related to our life. Traveling around Japan made him rediscovered the diversity of design. These are fostered by nature and climate. He has found a lot of sparkle of joy in abundant nature and techniques in Toyama has visited Toyama a few times in these years. This exhibition aims to think about future design through the making process.

https://www.atsushishindo.com/

salt in

“salt in” is a design unit established by Shanshan Liu and Xiulai Zhou. They are both designers from China, graduated from Musashino Art University. Learning by trial and error, they are exploring the “seasoning” of design. People usually see an object as what it is on the outside, its appearance and senses, without suspecting its internal matters. 

We want to pull the inside traces and expressions out of its external shell. By turning the inside out, we shift the scenes of production, usage, destruction, circulation, and restoration of existing products, to create works that convey a new common sense, while maintaining the impressions in the sensory and perceptual experiences.

https://saltindesign.studio.site/ 

Hiromasa Fukaji

Hiromasa Fukaji is Designer,Artist. Continuing the pursuit of original graphic expression centered on the technique of creating accidental expression using a plotter (equipment that outputs vector data). "Plotter Drawing" is a technique in which digital data is converted into physical movement by a plotter. Physical factors such as friction, gravity, humidity, and atmospheric pressure act to create "accidental expressions" such as blurring. Plotter Drawing is an expression technique that intentionally creates accidental expressions at the boundaries between digital and real.

https://www.hiromasa-fukaji.com/

From art to design furniture - Introducing the part of programs not to be missed!

 Two designers and their unconventional approaches: Sho Ota’s wooden works x januka’s jewelry

Jo Nakamura, the jewelry designer of januka, goes beyond the conventional use of materials and techniques. In his flagship store in Aoyama opened earlier this year, works by Sho Ota, a Dutch-based designer/artist will be exhibited. Ota has enhanced his research at wood furniture atelier into his collection, including a stool called “Surfaced”. Based on their solid technical skills, the two designers taking unconventional and innovative approaches will co-create a unique space.

https://www.januka.jp/     https://shootadesign.com/

New works by Christophe Pillet

「FLEXFORM 2021 COLLECTION」＠FLEXFORM TOKYO

Founded in Lombardy, Italy in 1959, "FLEXFORM" is 100% domestically produced in Italy and offers the highest quality furniture with the excellent technology of skilled craftsmen.　Antonio Citterio, a Master of Interior Design who has been supervising the brand for over 40 years, expresses a consistent and elegant world that is timeless. At FLEXFORM TOKYO in Minami Aoyama, the FLEXFORM 2021 COLLECTION will be unveiled. The designer intentionally stripped the design of non-essentials, to then focus on “the details, the precise proportions and masterful execution, inherent features that inescapably define the quality of that object”. new production “ANY DAY TABLE" & Also pay attention to "ECHOES CHAIR", which has added variations following last year.

https://www.flexform.jp

“Tomio Koyama Gallery” introducing Shooshie Sulaiman with her solo exhibition

Tomio Koyama Gallery has long been in the center of the contemporary art world, and actively participating in international art fairs. In recent years, the gallery introduces diverse artists from established to young talents, regardless of their origins or genres. 

During DESIGNART TOKYO 2021, a solo exhibition of a contemporary artist, Shooshie Sulaiman from Southeast Asia will be held.  Shooshie, of mixed Malay and Chinese heritage, pursues the history of Southeast Asia, the culture of her home country Malaysia, as well as her own memory and identity through her works. Through diverse approaches such as drawings, collages, installations, and performances, her works often appropriate natural elements from trees, soil, to water that is native to the land. Bringing an almost mystical air in her works, she proposes complex and inextricably connected relationships between human beings, nature, and art.

http://tomiokoyamagallery.com/en/

 DESIGNART TOKYO 2021

Date: October 22nd (Friday) - October 31st (Sunday)

Area: Omotesando, Gaien-mae / Harajuku, Meiji-jingu-mae / Shibuya / Daikanyama / Roppongi / Shinjuku / Ginza / ONLINE

Organizer：DESIGNART TOKYO Committee

The founders of DESIGNART: Akio Aoki (MIRU DESIGN), Shun Kawakami (artless Inc.), 

Hiroshi Koike (NON-GRID), Okisato Nagata (TIMELESS), Astrid Klein & Mark Dytham  (Klein Dytham   Architecture).

Official website： http://designart.jp/designarttokyo2021/en/

Neri&Hu created Foreverhouse at Home Sweet Home Exhibition at KORA

Home Sweet Home, curated by Paolo Mele, Alessandra Pioselli, Davide Quadrio, and Claudio Zecchi, recently opened at the KORA Contemporary Center, Palazzo de Gualtieris in Lecce, Italy, showcasing more than 40 artists and designers from around the world. The exhibition explores the theme of “home,” a place to live in and a witness of everyday life, where relationships are born and unfold over time.

The ideas of home and being “at home” are psychological constructs shaped by subjective perceptions of shelter, privacy and security. Our dwelling bears the marks of our daily rituals of inhabitation, and over time they serve as vessels for the accumulation of the artifacts of everyday life.

Drawing inspiration from the image of a bicycle, Neri&Hu has created Foreverhouse for the exhibition. As with many of Neri&Hu's works, Foreverhouse hints at maintaining tradition as a form of resistance to cultural erasure. Since the early 1990s, the bicycle has played a pivotal role in China. Whether in urban centers or the countryside, the bicycle remains one of the most critical and ubiquitous modes of transport. For many people, the bicycle's significance goes beyond its function of transporting us from one place to another; it is an object inextricably tied to modes of life and livelihoods. The bicycle can carry a load of recycled items three times its own weight; it can also tow a cart full of goods for sale. Literally or metaphorically, the bicycle can support an entire family on its two wheels.

The concept of Foreverhouse is to stretch the familiar image of a bicycle to become a travelling home. With the addition of a simple metal structure and draped fabrics, Neri&Hu has turned an ordinary bicycle into a shelter with a table and storage pockets. The fabric pouch uses a pleated fold, containing itself and any precious items within a perfect little pocket. The pattern of the fabric is inspired by the traditional delight from Shanghai: xiaolongbao. The thin but elastic dough of xiaolongbao is a flawless container to hold the aromatic juices while allowing the steam to escape. Rather than focusing on the physical construction of a house, Foreverhouse directs attention to the social realities of our times: with the rising tides of mass migration, what happens to our sense of belonging?

KORA Contemporary Arts Center is a 1600-sqm space dedicated to creating and researching contemporary art, recently opened in Lecce, Italy. KORA Contemporary Arts Center hosts temporary and permanent exhibitions, workshops and public education programs. In addition, the complex contains a library, a bookshop, a bar, an area for children's activities, conference spaces, and an area for events and performances.

For more information about KORA and Home Sweet Home Exhibition, please visit:
http://www.k-ora.it/

About Nuri&Hu

http://www.neriandhu.com/en

PLICO CHAIR BY FABRICIUS & KASTHOLM by CARL HANSEN & SON

The Danish designer duo Fabricius & Kastholm were masters at creating honest design that beautifully highlights what other designers often seek to hide. With its visible joints, beautiful brass fittings and accomplished craftsmanship, the Plico Chair is a great example of this. The chair was first presented in 1964 when it won the Copenhagen Cabinetmakers' Guild Furniture Prize for its outstanding craftsmanship and expression. 

The idea behind the design was to create a chair that takes up as little space as possible when not in use while not compromising on comfort. Plico means 'to fold' in Latin and, despite its light exterior, the chair offers supreme comfort by virtue of its soft upholstery and features an adjustable backrest that can be completely folded. This ensures a degree of versatility rarely found in a lounge chair.

The Plico Chair is the second Fabricius & Kastholm design launched by Carl Hansen & Son following the introduction of the flexible and timeless FK Bookcase. On the thoughts behind the launch, Knud Erik Hansen, CEO of Carl Hansen & Son, says: "Fabricius & Kastholm were masters at combining the highest quality materials with sublime craftsmanship, which perfectly matches Carl Hansen & Son's DNA. The Plico Chair and FK Bookcase were created for the very same exhibition in 1964 and complement each other beautifully with their natural materials and honest design. We are therefore delighted and proud to have added another masterpiece from Fabricius & Kastholm to our collection of design classics."

About Carl Hansen & Son's relaunch of the Plico Chair, Thomas Kastholm, the son of Jørgen Kastholm, says: "The chair was a turning point in my father's work and proved to be a precursor to an international career in furniture design. I know the chair from my childhood - I played under, over, and on it, and I've always liked it. I'm therefore delighted that the chair is now being given a new lease of life."

Knud Erik Hansen, CEO of Carl Hansen & Son, concludes: "The Plico Chair is an extremely versatile piece of furniture - not only in its function of being a foldable lounge chair, but also in its appearance, and it fits elegantly into the living room, the cottage, and the hotel room and lobby. It is a comfortable and cosy chair to sit in with a good book and a cup of coffee."

PLICO CHAIR WILL BE IN STORES FROM AUGUST 2021.

PRODUCT INFO
Recommended retail price 
FK10 Plico Chair, high back: 2102,- EUR ex. VAT
FK11 Plico Chair, low back: 1861,- EUR ex. VAT
 Dimensions (cm)
FK10 Plico Chair, high back
Seat height: 37 Height: 93.5 Depth: 85 Width: 74 
FK11 Plico Chair, low back
Seat height: 37 Height: 74 Depth: 85 Width: 74

Materials
Frame: FSC-certified oak (FSC C135991), oil/white-oil
Armrests: Saddle leather
Seat and back: Canvas and linen canvas
Fittings: Brass

For more information, please visit: https://www.carlhansen.com/da-dk

Hilton Announces Signing of Fourth Resort in the Maldives

109 all-villa Hilton Maldives Amingiri will welcome guests from end 2021

Hilton (NYSE: HLT), one of the world’s fastest-growing hospitality companies, has announced the signing of a management agreement with Amingiri Holdings Pvt Ltd, a hospitality focused subsidiary of Maldivian construction and real estate development company Amin Construction Pvt Ltd to launch the 109 all-villa Hilton Maldives Amingiri. 

Scheduled to open at the end of this year, Hilton Maldives Amingiri will mark the entry of Hilton’s flagship Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand into the Maldives. It will be the fourth resort under the company’s portfolio of brands in the Maldives, joining Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island and SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton.

Guy Phillips, senior vice president, development, Asia Australasia, Hilton, said, “The Maldives remains one of the world’s most highly sought-after destinations and the signing of Hilton Maldives Amingiri reflects the excellent growth potential we see in the market. We are delighted to be embarking on this partnership with Amingiri Holdings Pvt Ltd to launch our Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand in the country. We are confident their experience in developing world-class resorts in the Maldives, combined with Hilton’s strong commercial engine, will place us at the top of mind for leisure travelers when it is safe to travel again.”

Hilton Maldives Amingiri is strategically located on Amingiri Island in the Male Atoll, directly accessible from the Maldives’ Velana International Airport via a 15-minute speedboat ride. The resort will feature 109 well-spaced beach and water villas, each with a private pool, including an exclusive six-bedroom villa ideal for travellers looking to reunite and create new travel memories with loved ones around the world in an iconic destination after more than a year of connecting remotely. A pool, spa, fitness centre and salon will also be available for guests to clock in time to work out or refresh themselves at. 

Guests can enjoy an array of dining options from the resort’s six restaurants and bars to suit their mood and palate throughout the day, including:

• Habitat: the resort’s all-day dining restaurant which celebrates international cuisines inspired by cultures ranging from the Mediterranean to South East Asia through its live kitchens, presenting a delectable breakfast spread in the morning before evolving into an a la carte dining venue for lunch and dinner where guests can enjoy themed nights offering guests indulgent flavours from around the world.

• Re-Fuel: A teens-only zone where junior guests can gain access through a secret speakeasy-style entrance in the Kids’ club. The rooftop deck is a tranquil Oasis where Teens can relax and unwind. A dedicated bar will serve a curated menu specifically catering to the needs and wants to the teenage traveller.

• EDEN: An adults-only resort’s destination bar specializing in champagne and gin-based drinks in a highly bespoke and intimate setting where guests can celebrate special occasions with unparalleled views of the Maldivian sunset.

Alexandra Jaritz, senior vice president, brand management, Asia Pacific, Hilton, said, “As the most recognized name in hospitality, Hilton Hotels & Resorts has one of the largest footprints across the globe. Even more importantly, the brand is known the world over for the positive impact it brings to each new destination we enter through the employment opportunities we create and renowned levels of hospitality we bring to the location. We are thrilled to be seeing our flagship brand represented in the Maldives and look forward to providing the perfect setting for families and friends to reconnect and make new travel memories when the resort debuts in the coming months.”

 Daniel Welk, Asset Manager, Amingiri Holdings Pvt Ltd, said, “For over a century, Hilton has built a stellar reputation with its ability to deliver performance and growth through their strong teams and commercial capabilities. We are confident our partnership with Hilton will be a successful one and are excited to work with them to bring to life our shared vision of delivering the most exceptional levels of service and hospitality to international travelers to the Maldives when Hilton Maldives Amingiri opens.”

 The upcoming Hilton Maldives Amingiri will feature Hilton CleanStay, an industry-leading programme to deliver a new standard of cleanliness and disinfection across all of Hilton’s hotels globally, providing peace-of-mind from check-in to check-out.

For more about Hilton Hotels & Resorts, visit https://www.hilton.com/en/hilton/