Architecture and Brand for Access to the Earth
For the launch of Earthboat, we led the brand development from strategy and identity to architectural concept, architecture and interior direction, website, and graphic design. We developed the brand statement “Access to the Earth,” establishing the idea of creating opportunities for people to immerse themselves in nature as the foundation of the brand. Through the exploration of more than 100 architectural prototypes, we approached architecture not simply as a place to stay, but as a product designed to create a closer relationship with nature. Architecture, space, and communication were shaped as an integrated whole under a single philosophy. Rather than creating another accommodation brand, Earthboat was conceived as a way to redefine the relationship between people and the natural world—an experience designed to bring people closer to the Earth.
Developing a Hotel Brand Built Around Mobile Cabins
We joined the project from its earliest stage, defining the brand identity around the founder’s philosophy and aesthetic vision. Our role was to uncover and amplify the latent potential of that vision, providing comprehensive design direction—from the selection of architects and the development of architecture and interiors to the website and graphic design.
More than 100 architectural prototypes were explored through an extensive process of iteration. Rather than treating the cabin simply as architecture, we developed it as an architectural product—a repeatable system capable of bringing people closer to nature. The use of CLT (Cross-Laminated Timber) introduced both sustainability and technical innovation, while translating the founder’s inner vision into a tangible experience that could be shared with society.
The result is Earthboat: not simply a place to stay, but a platform through which a philosophy and way of living can be experienced. Since its launch, the project has received broad media attention, establishing a distinctive presence and recognition beyond the conventional hospitality category.
Completion: December 2024
Location: Various locations across Japan
Total Floor Area: 20.5 m²
Program: Mobile Cabin, Hotel
Status: Completed
Structural Engineering: ARSTR
Client: Earthboat
Deliveries & Scope
Related link
Award & Recognition
Project Team
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Executive Director, Senior Art Director
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Executive Director, Senior Gestalter
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Team
Design & Direction
Brand Director : Genki Imamura / Art Director : Ryosuke Tomita / Project Manager : Kentaro Kanayama / Designer : Kaho Nagao / Designer : Midori Saito / Designer : Kenny Walker / Writer, Translator : Erika Hosoda
Architecture
Architect : Kazumasa Takada (PAN-PROJECTS) / Architect : Yuriko Yagi (PAN-PROJECTS)
Digital Experience
Project Manager : Masataka Hashimoto（Carecle Inc.） / Back-end Developer : Satoshi Hachiya（Carecle Inc.） / Back-end Developer : Satoru Onoda（Carecle Inc.） / Technical Director : Akifumi Nakamura（Studio Spoon Inc.） / Front-end Developer : Hiromichi Inoue（Studio Spoon Inc.） / Front-end Developer : Ryohei Endo（Studio Spoon Inc.）
Creative Partner
CG Director : Akito Uemura（LITdesign） / CG Designer : TRAN CONG VINH QUY（LITdesign） / CG Designer : Kazuma Hirahara（LITdesign） / Illustrator : Kyoka Tanno