DESIGN
“ A Japanese designer wouldn ’ t dare make this bad pun , but as foreigners we can get away with it ,” Dytham says . “ The Japanese culture is not what it might seem from the West , quite serious and straight . They are very funny and love humor and a good joke .”
The two guesthouses , on opposite sides of the resort , are surrounded by woods , a river and rice terraces , and sit on a slightly hilly landscape dotted with farms . To create a sense of community between the two buildings , KDa designed the fairytale Poko Poko activity clubhouse .
“ The structure ‘ pokes ’ above the tree canopy like three little troll houses ,” Klein says . Everything is linked by a meandering path — Dytham calls it a “ yellow brick road ” — that becomes a bridge over the valley to the building Conran designed . On one end is a hut with a floor-to-ceiling climbing net , a ball pool and a nursery . On the opposite end is the chill-out hut where adults can read by the fireplace or soak up the view with a glass of wine . In between is Books & Café , a hut for learning to make pickles , vinegars and jams , and where , using the pizza oven , children can make their own pies using herbs and vegetables grown onsite .
The adult side of Poko Poko
Poko Poko exterior
34 hotelsmag . com May 2020