Project Name: NOT A HOTEL FUKUOKA

Location: Fukuoka, Japan

Design Team: axonometric + NKS2 architects

Total Floor Area: 1,259.42 m²

Completion Date: August 2023

Photographers: YASHIRO PHOTO OFFICE, Kosei Kojima

Structural Design: Mika Araki Structural Design Office (now Graph Studio)

Main Contractor: Matsuyama Construction

Landscape Design: DESIGN NETWORK ASSOCIATES

Interior Design: Nomura Kogei A.N.D.

Mechanical Engineering: SEED Design

Supervision: IMD Alliance + Orange and Partners

Lighting Design: ModuleX

Building Height: 19.92 meters

Floors: 5 above ground

Site Area: 530.20 m²

Feature：

Project - In the heart of Fukuoka's tranquil residential landscape, a revolutionary hospitality concept emerges that challenges traditional notions of living and travel. NOT A HOTEL FUKUOKA, designed by axonometric and NKS2 architects, stands as a radical reimagining of urban accommodation—a "distributed hotel" that blurs the boundaries between temporary stay and permanent residence.

The project's most striking innovation lies in its sculptural verticality, conceived as a "three-dimensional city" where eight distinctly conceptualized rooms are meticulously stacked to reflect contemporary lifestyle diversity. Each room is a unique ecosystem, ranging from dedicated workspace configurations with expansive desks to culinary-focused spaces designed for private chef experiences.

Strategically nestled adjacent to a park and shrine, the building's design demonstrates a nuanced dialogue with its surrounding urban fabric. The architects have masterfully fragmented the building's volume, breaking down the mass to echo the scale of neighboring detached houses. This approach creates a facade that resembles both a small mountain and an organic urban landscape, simultaneously respecting and transforming its context.

Sophisticated environmental consideration is evident in the carefully angled terraces, each surrounded by distinctive plantings and positioned to mitigate visual intrusion while maintaining an open, green-facing orientation. The result is an architectural intervention that seamlessly integrates with the existing urban ecosystem while pointing towards future living paradigms.

With its flexible technological infrastructure, NOT A HOTEL FUKUOKA enables users to reimagine travel as a lifestyle—a fluid, interconnected experience that transcends traditional hospitality boundaries.

Design Team - In the dynamic landscape of contemporary architectural practice, axonometric emerges as a visionary design firm that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries. Established in 2021 and headquartered in Fukuoka, Japan, the practice has rapidly distinguished itself through a holistic approach to spatial design that integrates architecture, interior design, landscape, and urban planning.

Led by CEO and founding principal Kei Sasaki, a first-class architect with a distinguished academic background from Kyushu University and Tokyo University of Arts, axonometric represents a new generation of design thinking. Sasaki's prior experience at SOU FUJIMOTO ARCHITECTS has significantly influenced the firm's innovative design philosophy, characterized by nuanced spatial relationships and contextual sensitivity.

The firm's portfolio, exemplified by projects like NOT A HOTEL FUKUOKA, demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of architectural intervention. Their design methodology goes beyond mere construction, focusing on creating adaptive environments that respond to evolving human experiences. With a multidisciplinary team of architects, urban development consultants, and design professionals, axonometric has already garnered significant recognition, including selection for the 2025 Japan World Exposition design proposals and finalist status in international competitions.

By seamlessly blending technological innovation, contextual awareness, and profound spatial intelligence, axonometric is redefining architectural practice for the 21st century.