We are pleased to share that Looklen Architects has been selected among the Best 30 in the NOT A HOTEL International Design Competition 2026 — and the only team from Thailand to reach this stage.
Out of 1,058 submissions from 112 countries and regions notahotel, our proposal “One Line — 一線” was recognised as one of the top 30 entries by a jury that included Bjarke Ingels and Sou Fujimoto.
For this edition, the competition brief called for a design set on Yakushima — a UNESCO World Heritage island off the southern coast of Kyushu, Japan, known for its ancient cedar forests, dramatic topography, and extraordinary natural landscape.
Our proposal responds directly to the character of the site — a gently rising hillside within Yakushima’s dense forest, defined by an existing pond, large rock formations, and mature trees. Rather than imposing a form onto the landscape, the architecture is conceived as a single linear intervention: a long, subtly curved building that passes over the pond, weaves between existing trees, and gradually ascends along the slope, reading from the outside as one continuous roof plane aligned with the terrain.
Spatial organization follows the natural gradient of the site rather than conventional partitioning, creating an interior experienced as a single unbroken sequence from lowland forest to hillside and distant sea views. Local Yakusugi cedar is used as formwork for exposed concrete, imprinting the texture of the island’s own materials directly into the architecture — an expression of material honesty rooted in place.
Being the only Thai team selected among the global Best 30 is an encouraging recognition of this approach, and a reflection of the standard we set for ourselves across all work.
View the full competition results → https://notahotel.com/en/design-competition/2026/winners
