NOT A HOTEL Setouchi | BIG | Bjarke Ingels Group

In the last few decades, the Setouchi area of Japan has become a famed destination for art and culture, attracting millions of domestic and international tourists. The architecture for SETOUCHI builds on the region’s traditions, blending elements of traditional Japanese single-story houses with modern structures and designs. The glass façade connecting the interior and exterior is a modern interpretation of shoji screens, and the floor design incorporates the layout concept of traditional tatami mats. Furthermore the curved earthen walls utilize the rammed earth technique using local soil, imbuing the space with a texture that evokes the local climate and culture. During the construction process, NOT A HOTEL pre-sold fractional ownership of the property. Starting April 1, its owners will be able to use their allotted nights on all three villas. In the NOT A HOTEL model, ownership of SETOUCHI also allows nights to be traded for nights at other properties in the network. Shinji Hamauzu, Founder and Co-CEO (Chief Visionary) at NOT A HOTEL, said about the project’s completion: "We are beyond honoured to have partnered with BIG in realising the company's first buildings in Japan. This is a landmark moment for NOT A HOTEL's mission to make Japan even more valuable, and we are sure that BIG's three SETOUCHI villas will provide their owners with unprecedented experiences for years to come.”

Comment from Bjarke Ingels

“NOT A HOTEL Setouchi represents our first completed buildings in Japan, a culture that has had a profound impact on myself and my understanding of architecture; a place where fearless Futurism and deep traditional roots coexist in contrasting harmony. It has been an absolute architectural adventure to work with NOT A HOTEL to make this vision come to life. The archipelago around Sagishima is like a Japanese landscape painting. Steep rolling hills covered in lush green vegetation erupt from the tranquility of the Seto Inland Sea. The four pavilions are conceived as extensions of the dramatic topography. Hilltops and peninsulas, outcroppings and canyons are outlined by rammed earth walls and solar roofs to provide pavilions with 360-, 270-, 180-, and 90-degree views of the surrounding scenery. On one hand, each home is like an inhabited view, open, and extroverted. On the other, their spinal walls outline a private and protected space—open only to the sky. Traditional and modern, integrated and outstanding, Scandinavian and Japanese, the villas are architectural oxymorons embodying seemingly contradictory elements into a holistic hospitable whole.”

Overview of each villa: "180", "270", and "360"

Nestled on the northernmost cape of the peninsula, "180" boasts a gently curvingarchitecture that follows the cliff face, offering panoramic views of the archipelago from every room. A Japanese garden unfolds in the courtyard, with gentle hills, mossy paths, and trees that change with the seasons. The innermost bedroom features a private open-air bath, and there is also a sauna and cold plunge pool overlooking the sea. The total area is 707.61 m2, with 4 bedrooms and a maximum occupancy of 8 people.

PROJECT DATA  
Size: 2,350 sq m
Location: Setouchi, Japan
Client: NOT A HOTEL
Collaborators:  Maeda Corporation, ARUP Japan, 1moku, NOSIGHT, BOCS, Mir, LIT design

PROJECT FACTS 
Size: 2,350 m2
Location: Sagishima, Setouchi, Japan
Client: NOT A HOTEL
Collaborators: Maeda Corporation, ARUP Japan, 1moku, NOSIGHT, BOCS, Mir, LIT design

TEAM
Partners-in-Charge: Bjarke Ingels, Leon Rost 

Project Manager: Yu Inamoto 

Design Lead: Ryohei Koike

Project Architect: Mamoru Hoshi   

Project Team: Ahmad Tabbakh, Andrea Megan Hektor, Casey Tucker, Christina Papadopoulou, Cullen Yoshihiko Fu, Don Chen, Jan Leenknegt, Konstantinos Koutsoupakis, Margaret Tyrpa, Matthew Lau, Naysan John Foroudi, Oskar Alfred Maly, Paul Heberle, Pavel Tomek, and Sang Ha Jung

Photography: Kenta Hasegawa