HOSHINOYA Nara Prison in Nara, Japan, has revealed a teaser trailer alongside confirmation that its long-anticipated hotel will open on June 25th, 2026. designboom first reported on the renovation when the initial announcement surfaced in June 2022 and again when more details were unveiled in September 2023. Now, this newly released film gives an early glimpse of the 1908-built complex’s new atmosphere as it’s brought to life by by Hoshino Resorts.

The project occupies the former Nara Prison, the sole remaining example of the Meiji government’s Five Great Prisons. Built in red brick with a radial plan and a central guard tower, the compound has stood on its site for more than a century. Its transition into HOSHINOYA’s ninth property celebrates the architecture itself as the primary experience, with the teaser focusing on the slow reveal of space and the feelings it will bring.

images courtesy Hoshino Resorts and The Former Nara Prison Preservation and Utilization Co., Ltd.

Architecture shaped by preservation in nara, japan

Nara Prison’s transformation for Hoshino Resorts has been led by Azuma Architect & Associates, with principal architect Rie Azuma overseeing the careful adaptation of the historic structure. The original brickwork which was once concealed behind layers of plaster has been exposed and restored. Iron columns and timber surfaces introduce a contemporary register while maintaining a measured dialogue with the existing structure.

Circulation follows the logic of the original prison layout. Long corridors trace the former cell blocks, their proportions preserved, while openings have been adjusted to allow daylight to move deeper into the plan. The spatial rhythm remains deliberate, shaped by repetition and pause, all to give hotel guests a heightened awareness of the building’s past use without overt interpretation.

an example guest room shows a linear array of cloistered cells

Living within the former cell blocks

Guest accommodations emerge from the merging of former cells into suites, each one organized to emphasize volume and material continuity. One of the largest configurations brings together ten individual cells into a single guest room, allowing thick masonry walls to frame a sequence of rooms for rest, dining, and quiet work. Across the property, a total of forty-eight suites follow this approach, ensuring variation within a consistent architectural language.

The teaser film lingers on these interiors, capturing the way light grazes brick surfaces and revealing glimpses of the elongated guest rooms. The atmosphere is shaped by the weight of the existing brick walls and the precision of the interventions.

one of the largest configurations combines ten individual cells into a single guest room

A cultural landmark enters a new phase

Beyond accommodation, the plan includes a detached dining hall and spaces for curated activities, extending the experience across the former compound. Cuisine is set to explore a Japanese-French dialogue, reflecting the Western influences present in Meiji-era civic architecture while remaining grounded in local practice. A publicly accessible museum will also occupy part of the site during daytime hours and will present archival material related to the prison’s history.

Reservations for HOSHINOYA Nara Prison open on January 20th, 2026. As the opening date approaches, the project stands as a rare case where preservation, hospitality, and architectural discipline converge within a single historic framework. Designed in 1908 by Keijiro Yamashita, the former prison now enters a chapter shaped by reuse rather than confinement, adding a distinctive entry to the evolving portfolio of Hoshino Resorts.

a total of forty-eight suites follow this layout

iron columns and timber surfaces introduce a contemporary intervention

floor plan of the former Nara Prison

project info:

name: HOSHINOYA Nara Prison

location: 18 Hannyaji-cho, Nara, Japan

hotel design: Azuma Architect & Associates

company: Hoshino Resorts | @hoshinoresorts.official

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CIRCULUS Atelier is the working studio of Oka Architecture Design & Co., Ltd. (OAD) and a built application of the practice’s CIRCULUS architectural framework, which examines circularity, continuity, and long-term adaptability in design. Conceived as both a workplace in Yokohama, Japan, and a prototype, the project investigates how digital fabrication can inform architecture as a system that integrates exterior enclosure and interior spatial treatment within a unified material logic.

The building’s exterior is defined by KNIT, a modular facade system developed and fabricated by the practice using large-scale 3D printing. Rather than functioning as a conventional cladding, the facade operates as a woven surface composed of repeated printed units. Variations in geometry across the modules create depth and shadow, allowing the facade to respond to changing light conditions over time. The fabrication process remains legible, with the method of production directly expressed in the architectural surface.

all images courtesy of Oka Architecture Design & Co., Ltd. (OAD)

Suspended 3D Printed Elements Shape CIRCULUS Atelier’s interior

Inside the atelier, Studio Oka Architecture Design & Co., Ltd. (OAD) applies the same material approach in a different manner. Flexible 3D printed elements are suspended from the ceiling, forming a draped installation that introduces a soft overhead layer above the workspace. This suspended system filters daylight, moderates acoustics, and defines spatial zones without enclosing them. The ceiling is treated as a hanging field shaped by gravity and material behavior rather than as a rigid, fixed plane.

The interior installation relies on the inherent flexibility of the printed material, allowing elements to fold, overlap, and deform naturally. Through digital fabrication, softness becomes a controlled architectural attribute rather than a purely ornamental effect. Both the KNIT facade and the interior components are designed to be demountable, repairable, and reconfigurable, aligning with the CIRCULUS framework’s emphasis on reuse and adaptability.

overall view of the CIRCULUS atelier, wrapped in a 3D printed KNIT facade resembling a woven surface

a studio Designed for Adjustment, Reuse and Long-Term Flexibility

All elements are produced in-house using 3D printing, enabling precise geometric control while limiting material waste. Architecture is treated as an evolving assembly rather than a finished object, capable of adjustment and transformation over time. As a working studio, the atelier provides a setting in which material performance, spatial comfort, and durability can be evaluated through daily use.

CIRCULUS Atelier operates as both a functional workplace and a test site for architectural research. By integrating design, fabrication, and occupation within a single environment, the project presents an approach to architecture that prioritizes continuity, material behavior, and long-term flexibility within a circular design system.

detail of the KNIT facade around the window opening reveals the layered rhythm of the 3D printed components

the KNIT modules showcase subtle variations created through digital fabrication

interior view of the atelier workspace beneath a softly draped, textile-like suspended 3D printed installation

after 3D printing, the discharged material is reused as a wall-mounted object, reflecting circular principles

close-up of a soft, flexible 3D printed component used in the suspended interior installation

rejecting the fixed geometry of conventional shelving, 3D printed cells are assembled to form a unique shelf

light passing through the suspended elements creates a layered and atmospheric ceiling condition

a folded 3D printed screen resting on a chair, emphasizing the softness and flexibility of the material

the draped installation gently defines zones within the workspace without enclosing the space

oblique view of the suspended elements, emphasizing depth, repetition, and material softness

project info:

name: CIRCULUS Atelier
architect: Oka Architecture Design & Co., Ltd. | @o.a.d.co.ltd

location: Yokohama, Japan

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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Studio Cochi Architects establishes its own woodworking studio in Gushichan, rural Okinawa, Japan. The compound combines the firm’s office and a production facility for wooden sashes and fixtures, elements they consider essential to the spatial and tactile quality of their buildings, yet increasingly difficult to source locally with consistent craftsmanship, precision, and timelines.

The compound sits about five minutes from the firm’s former home-office, Tamagusuku House, on a sloping plot surrounded by forest and farmland. The architects chose a steel-frame structure for its openness, speed, and economy, typical of industrial buildings. Construction unfolded in two phases. The workshop came first, followed by the office, whose fittings were fabricated on-site using the newly operational facility. The volumes step along the slope, responding to shallow bedrock conditions and minimizing excavation.

A semi-outdoor garden forms a buffer between the noisy, dusty production zone and the quieter office areas. This intermediary space extends the surrounding forest into the site, creating a gradual transition rather than a hard division. Ventilation plays a critical role throughout the project, since air conditioning is impractical for a woodworking shop. The building is designed to open almost entirely, using a double-skin system made from insect netting and roll-up vinyl sheets, materials commonly found in Okinawan agricultural greenhouses. The system allows air to flow freely while providing protection from sun, rain, and typhoons. 

all images courtesy of Studio Cochi Architects

why studio cochi brings wooden production in-house

In Okinawa, reinforced concrete structures paired with standardized aluminum sashes have become the norm. For the Japanese architects at Studio Cochi, however, openings are interfaces between body, climate, and space. They have long specified wooden sashes for their warmth, texture, and capacity to age gracefully. The decision to build their own workshop emerged from the scarcity of skilled woodworkers on the island, along with the lack of continuity between workshops, which made it hard to refine details, build long-term knowledge, or improve designs through iteration.

By internalizing production, the studio now controls the full cycle of design, fabrication, installation, and maintenance, allowing them to test new joinery systems, adjust details based on real-world performance, and respond more flexibly to the schedule of each project. Equally important is the proximity between designers and builders. Drawings and prototypes coexist in the same space, enabling constant dialogue between intent and material reality.

the office–workshop compound is embedded within dense subtropical vegetation

testing materials through use, maintenance, and iteration

Inside the office, simplicity prevails. Sliding doors are fitted directly between steel structural members, and polycarbonate corrugated sheets are used to reduce the weight of the fixtures. Throughout the project, the architects deliberately turned to materials and construction logics from outside conventional architectural practice, particularly agriculture. These everyday techniques, they argue, are often more climatically intelligent than standardized architectural solutions.

Studio in Gushichan is presented as a working prototype. Because the architects themselves will maintain the building, it becomes a testing ground for alternative materials, details, and construction methods. Through this hands-on process, Studio Cochi Architects explores how architecture in Okinawa might evolve by reinterpreting local practices, climates, and labor cultures into new spatial forms.

operable facades allow the building to open almost entirely to the landscape

the porous double-skin envelope allows light and air to pass through

wrapped in a translucent double-skin of insect netting and vinyl sheets

operable wooden panels tilt outward

a continuous roof unifies office and workshop beneath a shared shaded canopy

the semi-outdoor garden weaves between volumes

the garden acts as a spatial hinge between fabrication areas and quieter office spaces

a semi-outdoor workspace opens directly onto the garden buffer

translucent polycarbonate panels and sliding wooden frames define a lightweight interior envelope

maintaining protection from rain and debris

the open-plan office is organized beneath a lightweight steel structure

hinged wooden sashes frame views of the surrounding forest

sliding wooden frames and translucent polycarbonate panels create a layered transition

agricultural building systems inform the envelope 

project info:

name: Studio in Gushichan

architect: Studio Cochi Architects | @studiocochiarchitects

location: Gushichan, Okinawa, Japan

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In the geothermal town of Kannawa in Beppu, Oita Prefecture, Japan, art collective 目 [mé] presents Space II (2025), an architectural-scale installation inside a private house. The residence is punctured by irregular voids, their edges rough and geological, as if the building has been excavated from the inside out. What opens up beyond the facade is not an interior room but a cavern, a rupture that feels closer to a natural formation than a human-made space.

all images via @mouthplustwo

architecture as perception, not enclosure

The Japanese artists of 目 [mé] remove volume from the building instead of adding to it to create the installation. Walls and floors dissolve into a continuous, cave-like void whose textured surfaces recall eroded stone and volcanic strata. Minimal handrails trace the path through the cavity, offering just enough guidance to move without neutralizing the experience.

Light seeps in through the openings, pulling fragments of Kannawa, rooftops, streets, and passing bodies into the darkness. Visitors are invited to look back out at the world through the holes, encountering the familiar as something momentarily strange.

Space II is rooted in Beppu’s geological and cultural history | image via @as_beppu

a cavern shaped by beppu’s volcanic memory

Installed at the Geothermal Tourism Lab ENMA Annex, Space II is rooted in Beppu’s geological and cultural history. Kannawa is a place formed through repeated eruptions and transformations, once feared as hell, later rebranded as a site of healing through hot springs. 目 [mé] taps into this unstable lineage, imagining a moment when the land was still actively forming, before it was stabilized by language, tourism, or infrastructure.

The cavern reflects the town, its houses, its people, and its surrounding nature, while also allowing visitors to momentarily step outside of it.

Space II follows 目 [mé]’s earlier project space (2020) at Towada Art Center, where a pristine, museum-like exhibition room was abruptly inserted into an old snack bar. In this project, the strategy shifts, and the team, instead of overlaying one context onto another, removes context altogether.

an architectural-scale installation inside a private house

the residence is punctured by irregular voids

a rupture that feels closer to a natural formation than a human-made space

encountering the familiar as something momentarily strange

walls and floors dissolve into a continuous, cave-like void

the cavern reflects the town, its houses, its people, and its surrounding nature   

project info:

name: space II

artist: 目 [mé] | @mouthplustwo

location: 205-1 Oaza Tsurumi Kitanaka, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, Japan

venue: Geothermal Tourism Lab ENMA Annex

host: Mixed Bathing World Executive Committee

director: Jun’ya Yamaide (Yamaide Art Office Inc.)

construction: Tsujita Kenki Co., Ltd.

installer: Keiji Iwase, Yuya Obata, Gentaro Fukano, Daigo Honma

production assistants: Ryo Abe, Nobutaka Otsuka, Mutsumi Otsuka, Takumi Toukairin (Yamanokakera), Shusuke Nishimatsu, Nobuaki Yamada

cooperation: Kannawa Tourism Exchange Center; NPO Kannawa Yukemuri Club; Chikuzenya Sanso; Yuko Naka; Takashi Yoshino; and local collaborators

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House in Nakano by Hiroyuki Oinuma / HOAA, a 96.38-square-meter urban dwelling set within a tightly packed residential district in Tokyo, doubles as the architect’s own residence and workplace. With buildings pressed up against the property line on three sides, the only opening was to the north, usually the least generous orientation for daylight in Japan. Instead of treating that limitation as a flaw, the project turns it into a defining gesture through a looping, elevated terrace called the Kazari Garden, which arcs toward the street to catch sunlight and frame a borrowed view for the interior.

The Kazari Garden stretches outward from a large second-floor window, curving along the road. Its smooth outline slips beyond the shadow of the house, allowing plants to thrive and daylight to spill into the dining space. Residents watering the terrace unintentionally strike up conversations with pedestrians, and passing children stop to watch. In this sense, the house behaves as a civic participant, an informal lookout, a micro-park, or a porch suspended above the street.

all images by Takuya Seki

House in Nakano layers split-level views around gardens

Inside, the Japanese team at HOAA organizes the home through a split-floor system responding to the site’s elevation change. Wood-clad interiors unfold in alternating views toward the Kazari Garden and the more protected Back Garden, creating a spiral circulation that continually reorients daily movement. Storage is displayed, with shelves lining the route, holding ceramics, books, photographs, and plants. The architects treat everyday belongings as lived archives, objects that introduce gentle friction and self-awareness, giving the home the atmosphere of a small, evolving art museum.

Oinuma positions Kazari, meaning ornament or decoration, as a social and psychological connector. The project pushes back against the idea that architectural decoration is superficial or regressive, instead suggesting that embellishment, especially through living matter, can enrich urban domestic life. 

a 96.38-square-meter urban dwelling set within a tightly packed residential district in Tokyo

a looping, elevated terrace called the Kazari Garden arcs toward the street

House in Nakano doubles as the architect’s own residence and workplace

the Japanese team at HOAA organizes the home through a split-floor system

responding to the site’s elevation change

the Kazari Garden stretches outward from a large second-floor window

windows frame views of the garden

a spiral circulation that continually reorients daily movement

storage isn’t tucked away but displayed

shelves line the route, holding ceramics, books, photographs, and plants

everyday belongings are treated as lived archives

objects introduce gentle friction and self-awareness

giving the home the atmosphere of a small, evolving art museum

Oinuma positions Kazari, meaning ornament or decoration, as a social and psychological connector

the terrace allows plants to thrive and daylight to spill into the dining space

project info:

name: House in Nakano

architect: Hiroyuki Oinuma / HOAA 

location: Tokyo, Japan

area: 96.38 square meters

structural engineer: Yuta Mino / MSE

contractor: Yamashita Construction

photographer: Takuya Seki | @takuyasekimonsieur

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In Gifu Prefecture, Japan, architecture studio Analogue renovates House M, a home originally built by one of its founding architects in the early 1990s, and reimagines it for a new couple who have recently made it their own. The two-story dwelling is defined by its robust concrete-block shell and a light, folded-plate roof with a gentle pitch. Analogue chooses to work with the marks of age, reading the structural logic of the residence as a guide for renewal. The dimensions of the new elements reference the scale of the concrete blocks, the reinforced concrete framework, and the folded geometry of the roof. This calibration lets the new elements fit into the existing structure while remaining clearly identifiable as modern interventions.

all images by Semi photograph

renovation reveals the structural logic of house m

The renovation by the Japanese architects at Analogue addresses thermal comfort and ground humidity without disturbing the core integrity of the house. New floor edges, fittings, and adjustable louvers were introduced, maintaining the clarity of the existing structure. Each intervention was designed to be visible, allowing one to understand what has been added and how it connects to the original.

The ground floor of House M opens along a north–south axis, while the upper level extends east–west, framing views of the neighborhood’s tiled rooftops and the surrounding mountains. Three central round columns organize the first-floor plan, dividing the interior into a northern and southern side. These shifts establish a layered spatial rhythm, where different atmospheres coexist within a single volume.

architecture studio Analogue renovates House M

a home originally built by an architect in the early 1990s

the two-story dwelling is defined by its robust concrete-block shell

the residence is renovated to host a new couple

new elements fit into the existing structure while remaining clearly identifiable

Analogue chooses to work with the marks of age

the intervention allows one to understand what has been added and how it connects to the original

the renovation addresses thermal comfort and ground humidity

reading the structural logic of the residence as a guide for renewal

new floor edges, fittings, and adjustable louvers were introduced

maintaining the clarity of the existing structure

each intervention was designed to be visible

a folded-plate roof with a gentle pitch tops the residence

project info:

name: House M

architect: Analogue | @analogue_archi

location: Gifu prefecture, Japan

floor area: 125 square meters

contractor: Hotta construction
structural adviser: Zeroichi Structural Engineers

photographer: Semi photograph | @semi.photograph

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Inspired by the perceptual play of a kaleidoscope, Fumi Aso Architect & Associates has completed a single-story family residence that explores how light and seasonal conditions can continually reshape interior experience. The Kaleidoscape home sits on a flagpole-shaped plot in downtown Tajimi, Gifu Prefecture, Japan, a commercially zoned area now characterized by population decline and underused land. Although the generous site could have supported a far larger structure, the architects honored the client’s wish for a modest, ground-hugging dwelling. The design arranges a cylindrical main volume intersected by a secondary wing, creating a simple and climate-responsive composition that quietly transforms as natural light and daily life interact with its form.

all images by Yousuke Ohtake courtesy of Fumi Aso Architect & Associates

SHIFTING LIGHT BRINGS MOVEMENT TO SIMPLE VOLUMES

The T-shaped site offered many possible arrangements, but Fumi Aso Architect & Associates chose a streamlined strategy in response to rising construction costs during the COVID-19 period. Within this clarity of form, the cylindrical volume becomes the experiential core of the project, with carefully placed openings that frame shifting fragments of sky, sunlight, and surrounding views. As light moves across the white interior surfaces, the atmosphere drifts between softness and intensity, giving the home a quiet sense of motion.

Along the southern edge, a deck and deep eaves establish a versatile zone that is warm and sheltered in winter and comfortably shaded in summer when a tarp is hung. A nearby veranda, designed for a family who enjoys outdoor living, extends daily activities into a semi-outdoor space where meals, play, and rest can unfold with ease. To the north, a freestanding wall creates a shaded terrace that protects the exterior from direct sun, an essential consideration in Tajimi, a city known for some of the highest summer temperatures in Japan. The Kobe-based practice also left the northwest corner open for future gardening and connected it to a wide corridor outside the children’s room.

the home sits on a flagpole-shaped plot in downtown Tajimi

A HOME SHAPED BY APPROACH, FORM, AND CLIMATE

A long approach path gradually shapes the experience of arrival, and the western side of this entry sequence has been reserved for the planting of fruit trees that will mature over time. Inside, the high ceiling and triangular roof enhance gravity ventilation, easing the demands of the region’s extreme heat. From the street, the broad roof surface becomes a defining feature, its gentle slope toward the town giving the building a soft and welcoming presence. Through its simple geometry, climate responsiveness, and sensitive attention to light, the residence settles into the neighborhood with an understated yet expressive character.

the simple and climate-responsive composition quietly transforms as natural light interacts with its form

carefully placed openings that frame shifting fragments of sky, sunlight, and surrounding views

the high ceiling and triangular roof enhance gravity ventilation

as light moves across the white interior surfaces, the atmosphere drifts between softness and intensity

the residence settles into the neighborhood with an understated yet expressive character

the veranda is designed for a family who enjoys outdoor living

the architects honored the client’s wish for a modest, ground-hugging dwelling

daily activities extend to a semi-outdoor space where meals, play, and rest can unfold with ease

the open-plan core of the residence features vaulted ceilings

exposed timber beams create a dynamic living space

the openings allow light to pour in and interact with the wooden flooring

project info:

name: Kaleidoscape
architects: Fumi Aso Architect & Associates | @fumiaso
location: Tajimi City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan
photography: Yousuke Ohtake | @yosukeohtake_archiphoto

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Poppins Nursery School Karuizawa Kazakoshi, designed by NIKKEN SEKKEI, is a single-story wooden nursery school in Japan. Located in a highland resort area of Karuizawa, near Lake Shiozawa and Kazakoshi Park, the structure overlooks Mount Asama. The building is positioned diagonally at the center of the site to naturally separate the south-facing playground from the north-facing parking area, making use of the site’s existing slope and minimizing the need for new barriers along the western retaining wall.

The project is defined by two leaf-shaped roofs of different heights. Childcare rooms are placed beneath the lower roof, while the higher roof covers the hall and staff facilities. The floor plan is designed so that all childcare rooms face the outdoor garden, and the hall functions as the central gathering space where children engage in group activities. Large windows introduce daylight and provide views of the surrounding landscape throughout the year.

Spatial divisions rely on wooden columns rather than enclosed walls, creating a continuous interior environment that supports movement and visual connection across age groups. The six nursery rooms, grouped into zones for ages 0-2 and 3-5, feature lower ceiling heights and a smaller spatial scale suited to young children. Each room connects to the hall through column-defined openings, allowing for gradual transitions between spaces and enabling interaction between different age groups.

all images by Norihito Yamauchi

NIKKEN SEKKEI employs Timber framework and Dual Roof Planes

The design team at NIKKEN SEKKEI opts for material and environmental strategies that emphasize wood as the primary interior finish. This approach aims to create a unified atmosphere across childcare rooms, circulation zones, and the hall. High-side windows located between the two roofs supply natural light and support gravity-based ventilation during mild seasons, reducing dependency on artificial lighting and mechanical cooling.

Structurally, the project employs two simple, untwisted roof planes cut into organic, leaf-like geometries that taper toward the eaves. These roof surfaces were constructed using standard laminated timber without special curved components. Columns are slightly angled along the curve of the plan so that their intersections with beams remain nearly vertical, allowing the use of common connection hardware and reducing the need for custom structural fittings. Double timber columns (120 × 240 mm European red pine) are arranged at regular 1,820 mm intervals, corresponding to plywood module dimensions and creating a rhythmic structural grid reminiscent of loosely defined forest-like zones.

By standardizing short-span joint details and optimizing material use, the project maintains a clear structural expression while remaining efficient to construct within a limited schedule and budget. The spatial volume beneath the high roof accommodates the hall, kitchen, and staff areas, while mechanical equipment is placed in the ceiling space under the low roof to maximize usable interior area.

a leaf-shaped roof defines the low, child-scaled volumes of the nursery

the building sits on a highland site overlooking Mount Asama

organic roof geometries taper toward the eaves

wooden columns replace walls to create an open interior flow

large windows bring natural light into the hall

laminated timber is used to form the untwisted roof planes

column-defined openings allow gentle transitions between spaces

wood surfaces unify the childcare rooms and circulation areas

double timber columns create a rhythm across the interior grid

all childcare rooms face the outdoor garden

nursery rooms are divided into zones for ages 0-2 and 3-5

structural spacing corresponds to standard plywood module dimensions

mechanical equipment is placed beneath the low roof to maximize space efficiency

high-side windows between the two roof levels channel light in and out of the interior

project info:

name: Poppins Nursery School Karuizawa Kazakoshi
architect: Nikken Sekkei Ltd | @nikkensekkei_global
location: Karuizawa, Kitasaku-gun, Nagano Prefecture, Japan

site area: 2699.04 sqm

total floor area: 494.46 sqm

contractor: Seibu Construction Co., Ltd.

photographer: Norihito Yamauchi

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom

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DESIGNART TOKYO, one of Japan‘s largest design and art festivals, returned for 10 days, transforming Tokyo into an expansive exhibition space. Operating across 91 venues throughout Omotesando, Shibuya, Roppongi, Ginza, and other key areas, the festival showcased a diverse collection of international works. Under the theme ‘Brave: Pursuing Instinctive Beauty,’ the 2025 edition celebrated creators who demonstrated the courage to trust their intuition and instincts, challenging the conventional markets. This vibrant display gathered approximately 300 creators and brands and captivated an estimated 250,000 visitors eager to experience the diverse collection of international design, architecture, and art.

banner: DUMB TYPE | WINDOWS © Nacasa & Partners

above: Claire Renard and Jean-Sébastien Blanc | 577 chaises: the citizens’ hemicycle | all images courtesy of Designart Tokyo, unless stated otherwise, image © designboom

10 DAYS SHOWCASING A DIVERSE COLLECTION OF INTERNATIONAL WORKS

The cultural nucleus of the festival was the DESIGNART GALLERY, a large-scale group exhibition housed at the Media Department Tokyo in the heart of Shibuya. Serving as both an information center and talk lounge, this exhibition hosted 33 domestic and international presentations, showcasing creations from countries including France, the Netherlands, and Sweden.  The space itself was a design statement, with the spatial design overseen for the first time in Japan by Hong Kong-based architectural firm COLLECTIVE. They paid homage to Japanese architecture by creating a modernized Shoji (traditional partition) in the first-floor escalator hall. This installation used reusable aluminum structures covered in non-woven fabric, where modulated lighting synchronized with photographs by artist ZEN to ambiguously connect the interior and exterior.

Swedish furniture brand Blå Station, together with ACTUS, displayed newly released products. ©Takuya Yamauchi

HIGHLIGHTS REDEFINING FUTURE SPACES AND MATERIALITY

The concept of ‘Brave’ was embodied in presentations that pushed the boundaries of architecture, product design, and material usage, moving past conventions to propose entirely new futures. Residential and architectural concepts took center stage with projects fundamentally rethinking living spaces. Daikyo Inc., which rebranded its condominium brand to ‘THE LIONS,’ developed a new project, unveiling ‘THE LIONS | Relation Wall,’ with architect Yuko Nagayama. This project stems from the concept of enhancing life value by fostering new human relationships. The development, aiming for implementation in 2030, featured a live demonstration of a moving wall.

THE LIONS | Relation Wall – THE LIONS 2030 PROJECT ©Takumi Ota

Similarly, LIXIL’s installation, ‘MUINIMULA – Reconstruction of Spatial Components,’ explored new possibilities in the traditionally underdeveloped spatial domains of floors, walls, and ceilings. By introducing the concepts of Mui (natural state, stripped of all artifices) and Mura (diversity), the exhibition aimed to dismantle and reconstruct existing spatial notions, challenging visitors to reconsider fixed ideas.

MUINIMULA – Reconstruction of Spatial Components by LIXIL ©Nacasa & Partners

In furniture and office design, ITOKI Co., Ltd.’s new brand NII made a significant debut with ‘THE STAGE by NII.’ Elevating the office into a vibrant stage, the exhibition featured first collections by four international design leaders: architectural studio AMDL CIRCLE, Todd Bracher, Rodolfo Agrella, and Jun Aizaki/Crème. The space was graphically designed by the creative unit SPREAD. Meanwhile, Danish Royal furniture company Carl Hansen & Søn presented ‘FRAMING COMPOSITIONS,’ showcasing items revealed in Japan for the first time, including swivel chairs and sofas by design masters Hans J. Wegner and Nanna & Jørgen Ditzel.

THE STAGE by NII © OOKI JINGU

Mitsubishi Electric Integrated Design Center debuted ‘The World Spun by Metal 3D Printers,’ an initiative utilizing their advanced metal 3D printing technology. They explored designs achievable only with this method and material properties, resulting in a collection of organic forms that felt surprisingly warm, contrary to the nature of metal.

Mitsubishi Electric Integrated Design Center　©Nacasa & Partners

Finally, the dialogue between design and luxury was explored in a year-long creative collaboration between Range Rover and Klein Dytham Architecture (KDa). Their ‘Range Rover SV Bespoke Installation’ at Tokyo Midtown explored artistry, craftsmanship, and the expression of individuality using the Range Rover SV Bespoke Service, blending tradition, innovation, and architectural imagination. Demonstrating new material potential, Azuma Plywood collaborated with Hakuten to showcase Color MDF, a lesser-known material made from pre-dyed wood fibers, in a continuous space from floor to ceiling to propose an expansion of material choices.

Range Rover SV Bespoke Installation by Range Rover and Klein Dytham Architecture (KDa) ©Yosuke Owashi

Chromatic Symphony of Landscapes by CYUON and Moriyuki Ochiai

Nomadic proposes a package method, “PACKING FOR THE METHOD, “where cardboard created with a lattice-like cut allows for reconstruction into various shapes, ©Takuya Yamauchi

From Error to Mirror by Natsumi Komoto x sync inc. shows works that emerged from acciidental failures

FONTE by Atelier matic Sho Sotoyama explores the contrast between nature and Manmade items. ©KOHEI YAMAMOTO

Azuma Plywood collaborated with HAKUTEN. seeking new ways of engaging with Color MDF ©Takuya Yamauchi

project info:

name: Designart Tokyo
theme: Brave: Pursuing Instinctive Beauty
dates: October 31 to November 9, 2025

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Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) unveils its design for the inaugural vertex by NOT A HOTEL, a coastal retreat in Okinawa, Japan, marking the first realization of NOT A HOTEL’s newly launched brands. Set between the island’s turquoise bay and a dense subtropical forest, the project continues ZHA’s four-decade engagement with Japan while translating the research of the studio into landscape-driven architecture for a highly sensitive coastal site.

A continuation of the existing rock formations, the hotel is articulated as a series of stepped horizontal planes, courtyards, and gardens. Its composition and material strategy are informed by extensive environmental analysis, including year-round studies of temperature, humidity, rainfall, prevailing winds, solar irradiation, and air quality. These datasets were translated into digital models that guide the orientation, spatial sequencing, and envelope design of the building to enhance guest comfort while optimizing environmental performance in Okinawa’s humid subtropical climate.

‘Informed by the site’s remarkable topography, the design is a continuation of ZHA’s ongoing research of composition and materiality that is driven by explorations of landscape formations evident in nature. The stepped canopies of the hotel gently transition from the unique geology of the shoreline to the dense vegetation of the rain forest—giving uninterrupted views of the ocean and a deep connection to the surrounding environment, while providing a sense of privacy that enriches user experience and charts a journey through the varied natural ecosystems of the region,’ ZHA project director Ludovico Lombardi explains.

all images by Negativ

NOT A HOTEL frames hospitality through landscape and ecology

Planned on a 25,322-square-meter plot, the hotel occupies a narrow threshold where white sand beaches meet steep forested terrain. The architecture is integrated into the site to reduce environmental disturbance and preserve the coastal and marine ecosystems. Each villa is oriented to secure uninterrupted ocean views and privacy, while shared facilities are distributed across stepped terraces that follow the natural contours of the shoreline.

The design is shaped by Okinawa’s distinctive geology, formed from Ryukyu limestone composed of Pleistocene coral reef sedimentary layers deposited over 400,000 years ago. This terrain, together with the humid microclimate of the island, sustains a dense subtropical rainforest along the coast. Responding to stringent guidelines set by the island’s forestry commission, marine conservationists, and local environmental authorities, ZHA’s architecture ‘floats’ above the landscape at the boundary between forest and beach, significantly reducing its footprint across both ecosystems and maintaining site biodiversity.

A twelve-month study of daily solar exposure informed the hotel’s distinctive canopies, which extend from the structure to form sheltered terraces cascading toward the shoreline. These deep overhangs reinterpret the pronounced eaves found in Okinawa’s traditional vernacular architecture, providing shaded outdoor circulation and living spaces while mitigating heat gain and glare.

a continuation of the existing rock formations

local materials and monsoon-responsive design

Local craft and material traditions are embedded throughout the project. Okinawa pine, limestone from nearby quarries, and ceramics produced in regional workshops reinforce the hotel’s connection to place while continuing the island’s long-standing culture of craftsmanship. Natural ventilation is prioritized across communal spaces, guest rooms, suites, and villas, harnessing the prevailing Kāchibē winds that blow inland from the ocean during the summer months.

Located within the Pacific Ocean’s East Monsoon system, the hotel has been engineered to respond to extreme climatic conditions. All facilities are elevated at least 6.5 meters above the high-water line to protect against storm surges, while the structure is designed to withstand intense winds, heavy precipitation, and seismic activity associated with Okinawa’s coastal environment.

Construction and long-term operation aim to minimize ecological impact through modular prefabricated systems. The hotel’s facade and structural components are finished with a pale tone and texture that echo the island’s coral beaches, while precision-engineered concrete elements incorporate recycled aggregates sourced from redundant local structures, reflecting a circular approach to material use.

the hotel is articulated as a series of stepped horizontal planes

datasets translated into digital models guide the orientation, spatial sequencing, and envelope design of the building

the architecture is integrated into the site to reduce environmental disturbance

local craft and material traditions are embedded throughout the project

project info:

name: vertex by NOT A HOTEL, Okinawa

architect: Zaha Hadid Architects | @zahahadidarchitects

location: Okinawa, Japan

client: NOT A HOTEL Co., Ltd. | @notahotel_official 

ZHA principal: Patrik Schumacher

ZHA project director: Ludovico Lombardi

local architect: Kume Sekkei

structural engineer: Kume Sekkei

MEP engineer: Kume Sekkei

interior design: Zaha Hadid Architects

renders: Negativ | @negativ_va

video: NAH

The post zaha hadid architects shapes stepped coastal retreat for NOT A HOTEL’s vertex line in japan appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.