A&A Liam Fuji

I’ve stayed in quite a few places lately, and this was a wonderful experience. Liam Fuji, short for "Artist & Architect," came from a collaboration between artist Liam Gillick and Japanese architectural design firm MOUNT FUJI ARCHITECTS STUDIO. The interior was astonishing from the entrance, like stepping into another world. Huge wooden planks cross through the building, and the four same-floor spaces have no doors between them. You have to climb over walls to get around, which makes the layout bewildering. It’s the sort of lodging that leaves you wondering why it’s built this way, and seems designed to make guests think.

The staff were considerate, thank you for that. Staying here felt like enjoying something outside the ordinary in a hotel that’s itself a work of art. Moving through it was a little tricky, but that became part of the artwork experience.

Designed by artist Liam Gillick, this hotel opened in October 2019 and is based on equations by Nobel laureate Professor Manabe. Staying there gives you a chance to see more of Liam Gillick's artwork.

I was just walking around when this one caught my eye. It's a daily one-group-only hotel created by a contemporary artist and an architect. What a nice thing to have in a town full of art. I'd love to stay there.