Yabu Pushelberg is known for designing luxury hotels, high-end commercial spaces, and private residences around the world. Founders George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg’s latest residential project—the Aman Residences in Tokyo—sits atop Japan’s Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower.
“When you go to the top floor of the Aman Hotel in Tokyo, there’s a big luminous lantern in the center of the space with a void in the middle” Glenn says. “We wanted to create something in opposition to that.”
When residents arrive at this level, they’re dispersed in different directions toward the elevators that take them to their apartment.
The ceiling in the residence’s pool area also features a soft, organic curve, “almost like the belly of an egg,” he says. “It’s as if it’s being pushed down by the weight of the water. It creates this visual tension like a subtle force of nature at play. It’s meant to evoke something elemental without being overly literal.” Photo courtesy of Yabu Pushelberg
“With Japan being a country that embraces technology, this piece is also a nod to the future, like an asteroid or some kind of otherworldly object,” George says. “And when you look at the reflecting pool, the simple elements of water and light play off each other beautifully.”
The ceiling in the residence’s pool area also features a soft, organic curve, “almost like the belly of an egg,” he says. “It’s as if it’s being pushed down by the weight of the water. It creates this visual tension like a subtle force of nature at play. It’s meant to evoke something elemental without being overly literal.”
The walls in this area also had to be engineered with precise spacing between each tile to allow for flexibility in case of an earthquake. “Essentially they function like a woven structure, allowing movement without cracking,” he says.
A version of this article originally appeared in Sixtysix Issue 14.
