Snøhetta designs Not A Hotel, a Luxurious Villa Embedded in the Slopes of ski resort Rusutsu, in Hokkaido island of Japan

Perched atop Rusutsu Resort, this exclusive villa offers nothing but endless powder-white slopes and crisp mountain air. From the doorstep, carve fresh tracks down pristine runs, with majestic Mt. Yotei as your backdrop—a true ski-out experience like no other.

Not A Hotel Rusutsu is perched atop the all-season Rusutsu Resort—one of Japan’s most celebrated ski destinations. Winner of the prestigious World Ski Awards five times (the most for any Japanese resort), this location invites you to indulge in the world-renowned Japow (Japan Powder) at its finest, right from the summit. A dedicated lounge offers direct access to the slopes, allowing to glide out straight from the doorstep.

A crescent-shaped volume encloses this holiday home, which architecture studio Snøhetta has designed for hospitality brand Not A Hotel. In Rusutsu Resort on the foothills of Mount Yōtei, Not A Hotel Rusutsu has a “clean, minimal form” that draws on the surrounding topography. “Our approach always has a fundamental connection to nature, striving to create a profound unity between our surroundings and design,” said managing director of Snøhetta Asia Richard Wood. “For this project, we are inspired by the extraordinary natural setting, offering visitors a unique experience at the foothills of the majestic Mount Yōtei,” he continued.

Not A Hotel Rusutsu has a crescent-shaped form that dips at the centre and encompasses 1,200 square metres. Its lower portion is sitting partially below ground. The curved edges of the upper floor are cantilevered, creating sheltered outdoor spaces on either end, including a space for deck chairs overlooking an outdoor bath. Inside, the home’s lowest level contains a gym and sauna while the floor above houses a lounge, kitchen and dining area, alongside bedrooms and a study. Where the building dips at its centre there is a courtyard-like space with a sunken seating area, designed to function as its social heart.

The exterior is lined in locally sourced stone and blackened wood intended to complement the landscape, while large expanses of glass help to connect occupants to their surroundings. This natural material palette continues inside, with the addition of warmer woods and green-toned furnishings that add warmth to the living spaces. The use of natural and local materials like stone and wood further embodies this project’s holistic approach to human well-being and harmony with nature.

Snøhetta is a transdisciplinary practice including architecture, landscape architecture, interior architecture, art, product design, graphic and digital design, often integrating a combination of disciplines across its projects. From the beginning in Norway in 1989, Snøhetta’s approach has been framed by environmental and cultural sensitivity, inspired by the Brundtland Commission’s UN report on sustainability, released in 1987. Snøhetta’s first significant commission was in 1989 for Bibliotheca Alexandrina, reviving the ancient library in Alexandria, Egypt. This was followed by commissions for the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet in Oslo and the National September 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion in New York, followed by many projects on all scales around the globe. Today, Snøhetta has more than 320 employees from 40 nations across eight regional studios spanning from Oslo to New York, Innsbruck, Paris, Adelaide, Melbourne, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen.

Snøhetta has designed a new model for a vacation home nestled in the breathtaking landscape of Hokkaido island for Japanese hospitality group, Not A Hotel. The project is located at the top of the famous ski resort, Rusutsu Resort, renowned for having the world’s best powder snow throughout winter and as a relaxed outdoor and hiking destination during summer.