NOT A HOTEL Design Competition 2026

NOT A HOTEL Co. tarafından düzenlenen "NOT A HOTEL Design Competition 2026" yarışması için 11 Ocak 2026 Pazar gününe kadar başvuru yapılabiliyor.

Purpose

● The NOT A HOTEL DESIGN COMPETITION 2026 is a design competition for architects and creators under the age of 40 (U-40).

● The Grand Prize winner will receive a cash prize of JPY 10,000,000, and the winning design will be realized and sold as the next NOT A HOTEL.

● Through this competition, we aim not only to highlight the creativity of young architects and creators, but also to deliver real value by bringing their ideas into reality.

Treatment of these Rules

● The procedures for determining the award winners shall be conducted in accordance with these rules.

Overview of Competition Process

Screening Method

○ The competition will consist of two rounds. In the First Screening (document review), 10 finalists will be selected.

○ In the Final Screening, applicants themselves will give public presentations followed by Q&A. The proposals will be evaluated for both content and feasibility, and the Grand Prize and other awards (a total of 10 works) will be determined.

○ The Student Prize (1 work) will be determined only through the First Screening and will be announced in mid-February 2026.

Schedule (Japan Standard Time)

● September 22, 2025 (Mon): Entry and submission open

● January 11, 2026 (Sun), until 23:59 JST: Entry and submission deadline

● Late January 2026: First Screening

● Mid-February 2026: Announcement of finalists and the Student Prize (on the website)

● March 28, 2026 (Sat): Final Screening (Public Jury Session) and Award Ceremony (Tokyo)

Judges

Bjarke Ingels – Founder & Creative Director, Bjarke Ingels Group

Sou Fujimoto – Founder, Sou Fujimoto Architects

Masamichi Katayama – Founder, Wonderwall; Professor, Department of Scenography, Space and Fashion Design, Musashino Art University

Shinji Hamauzu – Director and CEO of NOT A HOTEL Inc.

How to Apply

Application Flow: Entries and submissions must be completed by Sunday, January 11, 2026.

Entry Form

Submission Guidelines

Eligibility

Age Limit: 

● Under 40(all group members must be under 40)

● Student Category: Under 25(all group members must be under 25)

Number of Entries: No limit.

● Individuals or groups may submit multiple works.

Language: Japanese or English

Affiliation: Open to anyone

Qualifications: None required (no need for an architect license)

Prize

Grand Prize (1 work) JPY 10,000,000 + Design Fee

*The Grand Prize winner will be realized and sold as the next NOT A HOTEL.
*The design fee will be calculated based on the compensation standards set by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan (Notification No. 98).

Excellence Prizes (4 works) JPY 500,000 each

Honorable Mentions (5 works) JPY 150,000 each

Student Prize (1 work) JPY 1,000,000