ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST: NOT A HOTEL SETOUCHI “MARKS A NEW WAVE OF JAPANDI DESIGN”

The recently completed NOT A HOTEL Setouchi, designed by BIG for the Japanese hospitality company NOT A HOTEL, appears in a feature story by Architectural Digest, exploring how the design weaves together Japanese and Scandinavian design cultures. Opened in March 2026, the resort is located on the remote island of Sagishima in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea, with three villas carved into the mountainous terrain and made of soil directly from the site using the traditional rammed earth technique. In the story, BIG Founder and Creative Director Bjarke Ingels speaks with writer Elizabeth Fazzare on how the design responds to the dramatic landscape, merges heritage and modern technology, and incorporates environmental design strategies.