HIDDEN DEPTHS

An underwater sauna, infinity pool and circular courtyard garden are just a few of the highlights at Not A Hotel's latest outpost on Japan's Ishigaki Island

- DANIELLE DEMETRIOU

It's not often that an architect seems happy for a completed structure to disappear. Yet for Sou Fujimoto, the idea of creating the lightest possible human imprint on the rich nature that surrounds it reflects the essence of his latest project.

Located on the subtropical shores of Ishigaki Island, in Japan's southernmost Okinawa region, Not A Hotel Earth is a private villa designed in the form of a tilted, plant-wrapped circle, overlooking the East China Sea. White, light and purist, with a hint of futurism, the seemingly wall-less structure hovers weightlessly in its setting. Infinity pools and glass walls create near-invisible boundaries between inside and out, while at its curved heart lies a wild meadow.

This is the latest addition to the rapidly growing Not A Hotel portfolio, an innovative Japanese company specialising in architect-designed spaces with fractional ownership. Properties are managed by Not A Hotel, with owners able to rent out their share when not in use, giving guests the chance to enjoy the rare experience of a hotel-like immersion in remarkable residential-style surrounds. More than 30 buildings now span six sites across Japan, from Tokyo and Nasu to Kitakaruizawa and Fukuoka, with four more in development - all brought to life by a star-studded roster of architects, including Suppose Design Office, Snøhetta and Nigo (who, alongside Pharrell Williams, is also a creative adviser to the company).