L’artista giapponese Kei Endo ha trasformato il suo hobby di documentare le diverse disposizioni delle camere d’albergo in un libro illustrato, intitolato Tokyo Hotel Sketch: ne parla My Modern Met. Il libro presenta una vasta selezione di disegni che riproducono gli allestimenti delle camere d’albero dell’area metropolitana di Tokyo, completi di misure delle stanze, con la disposizione dei mobili e gli schemi di colore. Endo esamina anche i dettagli più piccoli, come i kit di cortesia e le tazze da caffè. Le sue illustrazioni rivelano temi comuni nelle sistemazioni alberghiere e dove queste differiscono.

After examining so many hotels, Endo’s illustrations reveal common themes in the lodgings and where they differ. The way the beds are prepared, for instance, seems to be the same across the board; however, the dining nook varies from room to room. For those who can read Japanese, Endo’s jottings offer more information. However, even without understanding the notes, the artwork still provides plenty of insight into the way hotels are designed.

My Modern Met aveva raccontato il lavoro dell’artista in un altro articolo uscito nel 2022 a firma Margherita Cole.

For some, a hotel is simply a temporary place to stay for the night. For others, a hotel can be a fascinating view into a carefully curated world of design and architecture. Hotel-lover and artist Kei Endo documents the different styles of accommodations she stays at in Japan through her ongoing series of watercolor layout illustrations. From hand-drawing the blueprints of her hotel room (including measurements) to painting the view from the room window, no detail is spared in these meticulous entries. Endo spends an equal amount of time capturing the big picture of these places—like the architecture, size, and placement of objects—as she does highlighting the small, thoughtful details that are associated with hotel stays, like toiletry kits and coffee mugs. As a result, her illustrations are immersive portals to these many different places.