Inspired by the design of a traditional Japanese house, BIG‘s NOT A HOTEL Setouchi merges Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics. Located on Sagi Island, the firm’s vision brings three villas and a restaurant to the island’s southwestern cape.
BIG’s plan prioritizes the natural landscape, offering sweeping views of the sea and restoring the undulating landscape. Olive trees, lemon trees, and other native vegetation will be reintroduced to enhance the island’s natural beauty.
“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,” explains Bjarke Ingels, BIG Founder and Creative Director. “We envisioned how to best leverage this distinctive and remarkable terrain and fixed upon a design that mirrors the elegance of traditional Japanese architecture.”
The three villas are angled at 180°, 270°, and 360° to correspond with the views they provide and are spread across different levels. The round 360° villa is situated at the highest level and offers a central courtyard for privacy. The 270° villa has a corresponding panorama and features bathing spaces arranged like floating islands around a pool, as well as a sauna and fire pit.
Poised at the tip of the peninsula, the 180° villa takes advantage of its position with its curved design that hugs the coastal landscape. With mossy pathways and trees that change color, it’s an immersive experience with nature.
These single-story dwellings are an homage to Japanese craftsmanship. The floors, walls, roofs, and façades respect traditional Japanese architectural elements while reimagining them for modern times. For instance, the glass façades are a modern interpretation of shoji screens, and the natural slate floors form patterns reminiscent of tatami mats.
Sustainability is also important to the design. The curved clay walls are formed using a traditional rammed earth technique with soil collected on-site. In addition, all of the roofs are covered with solar tiles, and rainwater collected from the roof will be used to irrigate the landscaping.
“Japan is one of the cultures in the world where commitment to craft and care for quality remains intact,” shares Ingels. “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.”
The site, which is spread across nearly 7.5 acres, will break ground later this year.
NOT A HOTEL Setouchi is a new project by BIG on a remote island in Japan.
Render: LIT
The resort is comprised of three villas and a restaurant set into the undulating landscape of Sagi Island.
Render: LIT
The three villas are angled at 180°, 270°, and 360° to correspond with the views they provide.
Each dwelling is an homage to Japanese craftsmanship.
“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.”
Mercer Modern is a midcentury home located on a hillside on a 15,539 SF lot in Mercer Island, WA overlooking Lake Washington. The original house had great bones but was disconnected from the outdoors. Wittman Estes wanted to give the family a way to live outside and connect with their Southern California roots. Originally built in 1969, the post and beam structure had fallen into disrepair, and had a layout that was out of sync with the casual modern lifestyle for a young family with two children. The owner is Melanie Owen, a fashion designer with a keen interest in interior design and outdoor living. Originally from Southern California, her design sensibilities were rooted in SoCal surfer culture and the casual and open vibes of beach living. Both Melanie and her husband, Matt, work in fashion and clothing and have deep interests in texture, materiality, and a spaces with a comfortable lived-in feeling. Ms. Owen’s roots in Southern California brought a love for bright, light tones, and simple open spaces. Together with the architect, this vibe was mixed with Pacific Northwest traditions of wood tones and highly crafted built-in furniture. The goal was to create spaces that had both the qualities of Southern California modernism with a warmer, high quality carpentry that the Puget Sound region is known for. The outdoor deck has a ipe decking and built in seating. Cedar slat walls screen the neighboring houses while allowing the sunlight to filter through the screens. The kitchen was reconfigured to orient to the outdoors encourage an easy connection between the living room, dining room, and outdoor space. A concrete and glass stair connect the upper terrace to the garden and landscape. “We sought to connect the spaces in so the family could be relaxed and cruise barefoot going indoors and out”, says Wittman. The breezy and lightweight feeling of the material palette encourages the family to step outside and connect with the sunlight and views over Lake Washington and towards the downtown Seattle skyline. Project Credits Architect: Wittman Estes Design Team: Matt Wittman AIA LEED AP, Jody Estes, Hayley Snider Structural Engineer: Josh Welch Engineering Builder: Ian Jones, Treebird Construction Photography: Rafael Soldi
We are big believers in making the right first impression! That makes everything that follows a whole lot easier and this is true in case of home design and decorating as well. The entryway is a space that is often viewed from just a functional perspective. Yet, it can do a whole lot more than […]
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