Not A Hotel
Orientation is fundamental to the project. The nearby mountain peak becomes the key visual anchor, guiding the spatial organization. The central living area is oriented directly toward this landmark, framing it as the focal point of daily life. A continuous glazed façade on the first floor opens the interior to the island’s lush vegetation.
Floor-to-ceiling windows provide panoramic forest views, dissolving the boundary between inside and outside and allowing nature to become part of everyday living. The villa unfolds across multiple levels.
The ground floor is more introverted, with limited openings to ensure privacy. It houses the wellness and bathing areas, which face a single glazed façade opening to a covered terrace screened by dense vegetation, creating a quiet retreat. The first floor contains the main living spaces and master bedrooms, defined by transparency and abundant natural light. Above, a 360-degree roof terrace offers uninterrupted views and seamless indoor-outdoor movement.
A wide overhanging roof responds to Yakushima’s heavy rainfall, sheltering the perimeter and enabling year-round outdoor use. Cedar—particularly Yakisugi cladding—defines the material palette, combining durability, warmth, and a strong connection to Japanese craftsmanship. The result is a refined contemporary villa deeply rooted in its natural context.
© Mario Rudelli Architect all rights reserve
Description
Not a Hotel
Competition
The project is set on Yakushima Island within a steep, densely vegetated mountain landscape. Rather than resisting the challenging terrain, the design uses the slope as the primary generator of the architectural concept. The villa is shaped to follow the natural topography: one half is embedded into the ground while the other cantilevers outward over the descending site. This dual condition creates a dynamic composition that appears simultaneously grounded and suspended, establishing a strong dialogue between architecture and nature.