The inaugural vertex hotel will be on the island of Okinawa. ZHA's design continues the firm’s relationship with Japan that began four decades earlier with internationally acclaimed designs for intricate pavilions, buildings and interiors informed by the country’s landscapes and urbanism, creative tradition and immaculate craftsmanship.

Nestled between the turquoise waters with white sand beaches of Okinawa’s Bay and the steep terrain of the surrounding forest, the design has been carefully integrated within its 25,322m² site to mitigate environmental disturbance. Offering uninterrupted ocean views and privacy for each villa, the hotel includes facilities and amenities of the highest standards for guests and residents.

Conceived to preserve the island’s unique coastal and marine ecosystems, environmental considerations have been a guiding principle shaping the hotel’s architectural design and engineering, site strategy, material selection and procurement, as well as the development of specialist construction processes to minimise environmental impact.

Designed to optimise the prevailing Kāchibē winds that blow inland from the ocean during the island’s humid summer months, the architecture promotes natural ventilation in all communal areas, guest rooms, suites and villas. Located within the Pacific Ocean’s East Monsoon weather system, the hotel’s structure elevates all facilities at least 6.5 metres above the high-water line and has been designed to weather the intense wind forces, precipitation and storm surges of the region’s summer typhoons. This structure also incorporates advanced engineering measures to withstand impacts of seismic events on the island’s coastline.

Mitigating impact to local ecosystems during construction and operations, the modular structure and facade systems are comprised of meticulously crafted prefabricated components finished with a unique tone and texture to echo the fine white sands of the region’s coral beaches. Embodying a circular approach to construction, these precision engineered concrete elements will incorporate recycled aggregates sourced from the islands’ redundant structures that have reached the end of their operational lifecycle.

Ludovico Lombardi, ZHA Project Director, explains: “Informed by the site’s remarkable topography, the design is a continuation of ZHA’s ongoing research of composition and materiality that is driven by explorations of landscape formations evident in nature. The stepped canopies of the hotel gently transition from the unique geology of the shoreline to the dense vegetation of the rain forest—giving uninterrupted views of the ocean and a deep connection to the surrounding environment, while providing a sense of privacy that enriches user experience and charts a journey through the varied natural ecosystems of the region.”