Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) has completed its first built project in Japan, NOT A HOTEL Setouchi, a sculptural island retreat that masterfully blends the boundaries between landscape and architecture. Located on Sagishima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, the development brings together three private villas and a communal restaurant, each carefully positioned to respond to the island’s contours and dramatic coastal setting
BIG’s Landscape-Integrated Design Approach
The project borrows spatial and material cues from vernacular domestic design and reworks them through a contemporary lens. Glass façades reinterpret the permeability of shoji screens, dissolving the threshold between inside and outside. Floor layouts reference the order and rhythm of tatami planning, introducing a subtle sense of proportion and movement. The villas also maintain a low-slung, horizontal character that echoes the calm presence of traditional single-story dwellings.
Villa 180 Curves Along the Cliff Edge
Positioned on the northernmost cape of the peninsula, Villa 180 follows the edge of the cliff in a gently curving form. Its plan allows nearly every room to look outward toward the Seto Inland Sea, creating a continuous relationship between private space and coastal panorama.
Villa 270 Uses Water as an Architectural Element
Villa 270, situated on a hill in the northeastern section of the site, defines its close relationship with water. The design treats the pool as an architectural device, organizing the villa around it rather than viewing it as a simple amenity.
Villa 360 Forms a Ring Around the Horizon
Set on the highest point of the site, Villa 360 is developed as a ring-shaped structure that captures panoramic views in every direction. The circular geometry allows the architecture to embrace the hilltop while establishing a strong relationship with the horizon.
Image Courtesy: NOT A HOTEL Setouchi by BIG © Kenta Hasegawa
