Month: May 2024

NOT A HOTEL SETOUCHI

ARCHITECT: BJARKE INGELS GROUP
SAGI ISLAND, JAPAN
BIG.DK

Japanese hospitality group NOT A HOTEL partnered with Bjarke Ingels Group to expand its offerings with three new villas on Japan’s Sagi Island. Named ‘360,’ ‘270,’ and ‘180,’ these villas offer panoramic views of the Seto Inland Sea and blend into the island’s natural landscape. Inspired by the harmony between Scandinavian and Japanese design, the resort uses local materials and promotes a connection to nature. Each villa is uniquely designed: ‘360’ offers 360-degree views with a central courtyard, ‘270’ features bathing spaces around a pool, and ‘180’ follows the coastal landscape with a seasonal courtyard. Traditional Japanese design elements are reimagined with modern touches, like glass façades inspired by shoji screens and rammed earth walls using local soil. The resort also features solar tile roofs, rainwater irrigation, and passive cooling systems.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BJARKE INGELS GROUP

BRUDERX

BRUDER EXP-8
$327,000 AUD
BRUDERX.COM

The flagship Bruder EXP-8 is the ultimate off-road, off-grid camper trailer, designed for all seasons and environments, making it a global adventure icon. Setting a new standard for adventure, the EXP-8 uniquely combines high luxury with unmatched performance and capability. Its patented suspension system offers nearly three times more usable wheel travel than its competitors, effortlessly handling undulating and uneven terrain for a sublime ride. This system allows for height calibration to match different tow vehicles and leveling on sloping camp spots. Constructed intelligently and lightweight, the EXP-8 meets extreme terrain and climate demands without compromising the internal living space, providing all the comforts needed for solo travelers, couples, or families. Tough and capable on the outside, yet luxurious and sophisticated inside, the all-new Bruder EXP-8 redefines the pinnacle of adventure travel.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRUDERX

STUBOBUOB GARDEN WORKSHOP

ARCHITECT: INNAUER-MATT ARCHITEKTEN
BEZAU, AUSTRIA
INNAUER-MATT.COM

Where watering cans and metal goods used to be mended, the Strubobuob garden workshop now offers beautiful and useful things for the garden and household. In order to bring together the garden workshop and tableware business areas, which were previously operated at separate locations, an extension for the garden workshop was to be added to the main building near the train station, which was renovated a few years ago. The small extension in the garden forms a new, shared forecourt with the existing house. A covered entrance area with generously opening display surfaces leads from here into the interior. The sales area is spread over two floors. While the ground floor is used to sell garden and decorative items, the attic is home to all kinds of household goods and crockery. Two striking side gables on the long sides borrow from the surrounding buildings and form a cross-shaped floor plan. These divide the interior functionally and also give the garden workshop as a commercial building a sustainable presence within the market town of Bezau.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ADOLF BEREUTER

JANU TOKYO

TOKYO, JAPAN
JANU.COM

Janu Tokyo stands as the flagship of the vibrant Azabudai Hills community, a meticulously crafted city within a city, fostering a nexus of nature, culture, and art over thirty years in the making. Nestled within the visionary architecture of the Residence A Tower by Pelli Clarke & Partners, the hotel boasts 122 luminous rooms and suites, exemplifying unparalleled standards of space, service, and experience across its eight dining and socializing venues, and an expansive 4,000 sqm wellness center, among Tokyo’s largest. Designed by Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston, the accommodations, spanning up to 519 sqm, harmonize Asian-inspired interiors with contemporary European accents, offering respite from the city’s hustle with floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies. Celebrating Tokyo’s cultural tapestry through cuisine, art, and design, Janu Tokyo serves as a gateway to the city’s premier attractions, seamlessly integrating into the fabric of Roppongi and Toranomon neighborhoods. From the lively Janu Mercato to the refined Hu Jing, the hotel’s diverse dining options redefine culinary experiences, while its wellness center, exclusive to guests and members, invites exploration and rejuvenation, featuring Tokyo’s largest gym, a 25m swimming pool, and an array of treatment rooms and hydrotherapy areas, shaping new conversations around holistic well-being.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JANU TOKYO