By NOT A HOTEL
A design that proves its worth
Competition

Aimed at architects and creators under the age of 40
A competition that will lead to realization and sale.

The next NOT A HOTEL
You design it.

The setting is Kitakaruizawa

95 minutes away from the city center, away from the hustle and bustle
A forest of 20,000 tsubo spreads out at the foot of Mt. Asama.
In the summer, it becomes a summer resort and enjoys BBQ etc.
In winter, put yourself in the world of silver and surround the fire.
Never get tired of visiting
An unexplored region of the plateau where time flows quietly.

The Best Work
At the next NOT A HOTEL

The work that was selected as the grand prize winner was:
As the next NOT A HOTEL
We will actually make it happen and sell it.

Competition Overview

Qualification requirements

U-40

(For those under 40 years old)

Talented young architects from around the world
From the creator
We are looking for designs.

Winner's Prize

10​ ​million​ ​yen

Design fee *

*Calculations are based on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's service fee standards (Notification No. 98).

Target area

The Kita-Karuizawa area is about 30 minutes by car from Karuizawa Station, where you can enjoy untouched nature. Along the way, you can enjoy the large-scale scenery overlooking Mt. Asama, and in the forest where you can spend a quiet and private time without being disturbed by anyone. In addition, there are plenty of surrounding activities such as ski resorts and hot springs, and the environment is suitable for living in two locations with Tokyo.

judging committee

Masamichi Katayama

Representative Director of Wonderwall Inc.
Professor, Department of Spatial Design, Musashino Art University

Masamichi Katayama

We believe in the energy of creation that begins with "NOT." In an age where traditional values are being loudly and destructively shattered, the time has come to re-examine the next era from a higher-level perspective and question the nature of things and events. Just as the avant-garde art movement Dadaism once issued a statement of "NO," denying and destroying established order and common sense, we hope that this competition will bring new value to space, time, environment, technology, and the way of life of humanity.
Sou Fujimoto

Head of Sou Fujimoto Architectural Design Office

Sou Fujimoto

I think the wonderful thing about NOT A HOTEL is that it connects the charm of its location with the sensibilities of the people in a surprising way. When you go there, the resolution of your senses is overwhelmingly heightened, and the time you spend there feels different from your everyday life. And above all, we want an essential piece of architecture that is overwhelmingly new and timeless at the same time, with value over the long term. We look forward to seeing amazing proposals born from young sensibilities.
Makoto Tanijiri

Co-founder of SUPPOSE DESIGN OFFICE Co., Ltd.

Makoto Tanijiri

When I was young, I would challenge competitions every day, and I would lose and reflect on my results. It was like muscle training, and I always put stress on myself, believing that it would improve my design skills. Then, when my son was born, one of the things I told him was that not taking on challenges is failure in itself. I believe that continuing to take on challenges in life is a very important skill for an architect. I look forward to seeing ideas that we could never have imagined.
Ai Yoshida

Co-founder of SUPPOSE DESIGN OFFICE Co., Ltd.

Ai Yoshida

This is a competition that does not require qualifications or past achievements, overturning the premise that "a building cannot be built with an idea alone," so I am looking forward to ideas and concepts that are generated and shaped from diverse perspectives, without being pulled down by architectural requirements or conditions. Architecture that makes you want to build it, rather than architecture that can be realized, such as experiences that are characteristic of the new platform NOT A HOTEL, and proposals for spatiality that affect the body and emotions! I am looking forward to seeing such works.

Since opening NOT A HOTEL in 2020,
With all the wonderful creators
I am blessed to have the opportunity to join you,
Once again, I am reminded of the beauty of architecture.

NOT A HOTEL DESIGN COMPETITION is
From young creators around the world
We collect ideas and actually create them.
This is my first design competition.

Your ideas can become the next NOT A HOTEL.
What we can deliver to the world
I'm really excited about it.

Executive Director
CEO of NOT A HOTEL Co., Ltd.

Shinji Hamauzu

Application method

Application Flow

STEP 1
Enter by Saturday, August 31, 2024
The entry is here
STEP 2
Submit your work by Sunday, September 29, 2024
Submission here
*You will need a Google account to submit your work as you will need to upload it to Google Drive.
For details on documents to be submitted, Implementation Details Please refer to the

Qualification requirements

age limit
U-40 (those under 40 as of April 11, 2024)
Number of people limit
none
*Individuals or groups may submit any number of proposals.
language
Japanese English
Affiliation
Anyone can apply
qualification
No qualifications required
* No architect qualification required

Prize Money

Grand Prize (1 work)
10 million yen + design fee not included
*The winning design will be realized and sold by NOT A HOTEL.
*Calculations are based on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's service fee standards (Notification No. 98).
Excellence Award (3 works)
500,000 yen each
Honorable Mentions (6 works)
150,000 yen each

Implementation Details

For details, please see the NOT A HOTEL DESIGN COMPETITION 2024 implementation guidelines.

Screening Method

First round of selection
Document screening (10 groups selected) / Results announced in late October
Based on document evaluation, 10 design proposals will be selected for the second evaluation.
Second Round
Public screening / Saturday, December 21st
Applicants will make a public presentation and undergo a question-and-answer session to evaluate the content and feasibility of their proposals. The best design will be declared the Grand Prize winner, and other prize winners (10 in total) will also be selected.
Download the implementation guidelines and other materials

*The current status survey map is scheduled to be released in late May.

Site map

Site map

*Please check the site map in the documents folder.

Local photos

Local photos

*The site is provisional and subject to change.

schedule

Thursday, April 11, 2024

Entry/submission begins

Saturday, April 20, 2024

Online Information Session

Saturday, August 31, 2024

Entry Deadline

Sunday, September 29, 2024

Deadline for submission of works

Early October 2024

First round of screening

Saturday, December 21, 2024

Second round of judging (public judging session) and award ceremony

Early January 2025

Results will be announced on the special website.

FAQ

Online Information Session

date and time
:Saturday, April 20, 2024 19:00-20:00
way to participate
:Participate in online broadcast
Others
: Archived distribution scheduled for a later date
Attend an information session

Application Guidelines

  • Please register through the registration form on the special website. Once you enter the required information, you will be issued a registration number.
  • Application Guidelines: Any number of work proposals may be submitted
  • This registration number will be required for your application, so please keep it safe.
  • If any changes are made to your registration details after your registration number has been issued, please re-register.
  • If you are submitting multiple works, please register each time.

Notes

  • Submitted works must be unpublished works that have been created by the applicant specifically for this competition (duplicate submissions of the same work to other competitions will be disqualified).
  • Submitted works will not be returned. Digital data will be destroyed or erased, and will not be used without permission. We are not responsible for any damage or loss caused by natural disasters or other reasons not attributable to our company.
  • The copyright of the selected works will belong to the organizer, except for the rights of modification and translation as stipulated in Articles 27 and 28 of the Copyright Act.
  • Except for the prize money and payments based on a design contract if one is concluded, no royalties or other payments will be due to applicants in relation to the sale of the selected design by the organizers.
  • The organizers may make subsequent modifications to selected works if necessary in light of the nature of the copyright and the intended use of the works.
  • If it becomes clear that the selected work infringes the copyright of another party or is found to have seriously violated these application guidelines, the award may be revoked even after the announcement.

About NOT A HOTEL

NOT A HOTEL is
Created by world-renowned architects and creators
Design and
IoT and other technologies
Both comfort and
It offers high-end villas.

Click here for details about NOT A HOTEL
日本語
English