Island vistas and rammed earth star in BIG's Japanese NOT A HOTEL SETOUCHI

BIG's NOT A HOTEL Setouchi design (first revealed in May 2024) just opened on the remote island of Sagishima in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea. The resort project consists of three villas built from rammed earth using soil sourced from the site.

The 323,000-square-foot development also includes a beachfront restaurant and private beach. The villas (named 180, 270, and 360 for their viewing angles) step up the hillside along existing roads, following the island’s contours while opening toward the surrounding archipelago.

Rammed-earth structural walls expose layers of local clay like geological strata, while large glass facades were inspired by traditional Japanese shoji screens. Black slate floors reference tatami layouts, and the interior program is organized around open living spaces with bathrooms and storage housed in separate skylit pods.

"On one hand, each home...