Danish architecture studio Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), in collaboration with Japanese hospitality group Not A Hotel, has unveiled their design for a luxury resort on Sagishima Island in Japan’s Setouchi region. The hotel’s concept blends Scandinavian and Japanese design sensibilities, characterised as a trio of rounded villas weaving naturally through the remote island’s mountainous terrain. Not A Hotel Setouchi is anticipated to open in 2026.

"The relationship between Scandinavian and Japanese design began in the 19^th century when Japan opened their borders to international travellers. Soon after, Scandinavian designers began visiting the country and quickly became fascinated by the Japanese style for its simplicity, use of natural materials and connection to nature—the same principles that guide the design ethos for Not A Hotel Setouchi,” mentions the drawing board project’s description by the Bjarke Ingels Group.

Not A Hotel Setouchi introduces three villas on a 30,000 sqm site to the island’s southwestern cape with views towards the Seto Inland Sea. Named '360', '270' and '180' (corresponding to the offered views), the villas’ architecture is articulated across varying elevations, ‘appearing like a ribbon winding through the site.’ The master plan emphasises restoring the natural terrain and integrating and aligning the villas with on-site infrastructure.

“Our design approach for Not A Hotel Setouchi wasn’t about imposing our ideas on the site; instead, it involved exploring, observing and understanding the landscape. We envisioned how to best leverage this distinctive and remarkable terrain and fixed upon a design that mirrors the elegance of traditional Japanese architecture,” says Bjarke Ingels, founder and creative director of BIG.

“Japan is one of the cultures in the world where commitment to craft and care for quality remains intact. The honesty and simplicity of the structure and careful choice of materials can be said to have greatly influenced the traditional architecture of Japan and the modern architecture of Denmark. Maybe that's why when I go to Japan, I always feel like I'm coming home. Not a Hotel Setouchi will be an experiment in what happens when the sensibilities of both countries come together—the Danish desire for simplicity and the care and perfection of Japan,” he continues.

Positioned at the highest altitude, the ring-shaped '360' villa features a central courtyard for privacy and offers ‘literal’ 360-degree views of Setouchi’s natural landscape and seascape. Meanwhile, the '270' villa design captures 270-degree views of the archipelago and consists of a sauna, open fire pit and bathing spaces around the pool, whose arrangements are reminiscent of floating islands. Closest to the sea and sitting atop the northernmost peninsula’s rocky cliff, the '180' villa follows the coastline’s curvature to provide 180-degree panoramic views. The hospitality interiors also feature courtyards with gentle slopes, moss-covered walkways and seasonal trees that change hues.

“Setouchi comprises a dense and dramatic archipelago, characterised by beautiful undulating silhouettes of mountainous islands. Our approach for this design aims to simultaneously expand and enhance the vast panoramic views of the archipelago while creating moments of intimacy and privacy through minimal architectural interventions. Not A Hotel Setouchi fuses the essence of BIG and modern Danish architecture with the DNA of Not A Hotel and traditional Japanese culture,” mentions Ryohei Koike, an associate at BIG.

Bjarke Ingels Group designed each three and four-bedroom villa with site-specific characteristics inspired by traditional Japanese-style single-story houses. The interplay between Japanese and Scandinavian design principles can be witnessed in the waterfront resort architecture's utilisation of local materials such as Genshoseki slate on floors and rammed earth in the load-bearing curved wall construction (the latter incorporating soil directly from the site), to foster a connection with nature and create a minimal hotel design. On the other hand, the glass façade design reinterprets shoji screens from Japanese architecture.

BIG’s focus on sustainability is highlighted by the resort design’s emphasis on restoring the site’s undulating terrain. The design team will prioritise restoration of the site by harvesting grass before construction commences and reintroducing olive trees, lemon trees and other native vegetation. Solar tiles on the elevated roofs reinterpret traditional Japanese roofing in a technological and modern way and collect rainwater for landscape irrigation. Adjustable façades and extended overhangs facilitate natural cooling during warmer seasons.

“In the last few decades, Japan has been attracting attention as a place to experience stunning natural landscapes as well as high-end design, innovative architecture and cutting-edge art. The Seto Inland Sea area, where Not A Hotel Setouchi will be built, brings together all of these aspects of Japanese tourism into a single site. In partnering with BIG, we are creating one of Japan’s most luxurious villas on Sagi Island, which will be a gateway for more people to experience the charm of the Setouchi region,” shares Shinji Hamauzu, CEO and founder of Not A Hotel.

The hospitality design envisions a spacious, open-concept living area, while utilities such as bathrooms and storage will be compartmentalised into separate units (or ‘pods’), ensuring privacy. Skylights above these private units will channel natural light inside, ‘balancing openness with solitude.’ “The villas all feature traditional Japanese baths, calming colour palettes, outdoor firepits and heated infinity pools that blur the boundaries between the properties and the surrounding nature,” the design team promises.

Some other key projects from BIG’s growing hospitality architecture portfolio include The Mindfulness City in Bhutan, envisioned as a 1000+ sq km proposal with 11 neighbourhoods; the Biosphere in Sweden, a treehouse guest room with 350 bird nests; and Musée Atelier Audemars Piguet, a contemporary spiralling museum in Switzerland.

Project Details

Name: Not A Hotel
Location: Setouchi, Japan
Client: Not A Hotel
Size: 2,350 sqm
Collaborators: Maeda Corporation, ARUP Japan, 1moku, NOSIGHT, BOCS, Mir, LIT design
Partners-in-Charge: Bjarke Ingels, Leon Rost
Design Lead: Ryohei Koike
Project Manager: Yu Inamoto
Project Architect: Mamoru Hoshi, Casey Tucker
Project Team: Andrea Hektor, Christina Papadopoulou, Cullen Yoshihiko Fu, Don Chen, Jan Leenknegt, Jasmine Nicholson, Jeremy Felson, Joanna Lesna, Konstantinos Koutsoupakis, Margaret Tyrpa, Matthew Lau, Naysan John Foroudi, Oskar Alfred Maly, Paul Heberle, Pavel Tomek, Sang Ha Jung, Steven Op, Suyue Huo, Théo Hamy

(Text by Simran Gandhi, intern at STIR)