A 1967 logistics warehouse in Tokyo now holds a 15-metre dining table, a Jean Prouvé house and a wall of 352 storage cabinets. Japanese company Not a Hotel turned this building into its headquarters, and its in-house architecture team, Not a Hotel Architects, did the work.
The building is a fine example of brutalist architecture, with exposed concrete and a steel frame. Its ceilings rise seven metres.
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Inside the building
The company, which is known for striking hotel designs and is called Nota internally, needed space for several departments. Inside it, the architects installed glass partitions three metres high. They divide the floor into three rows, and each row is split into smaller rooms with different functions.
The team kept the existing structure of the building and made it a central feature. Nota described the approach to Dezeen.
A workspace built around its owners
“The project embraced the raw, brutalist beauty of the existing structure, retaining its steel frame and exposed concrete surfaces,” the company said.
The office also serves owners of the Nigo House, a hotel built into a cliff overlooking Tokyo Bay and designed by artist Nigo. Nota wants the space to do three jobs. It houses the staff, anchors the brand’s vision and identity, and hosts the Nigo Lounge for Nigo House owners.
The mix of furnishings in the office design reflects that dual role. Unusual Nigo pieces sit alongside established design classics. The large rooms gave the architects space to experiment.
“The high ceilings created a great canvas to experiment with interior design, including exhibiting a bit of Nigo’s rare goods collection in USM Haller boxes up to the ceiling as well as installing the Jean Prouvé demountable house,” Nota said.
The Harumi Lounge holds a 15-metre table with a decorative wooden top, set beneath the seven-metre ceiling. Translucent curtains on both sides can be drawn closed. They create a calmer room and block views of the workstations next door.
An original demountable house designed by Prouvé has its own room. Staff can use it for work or meetings. Nota says the house teaches the architectural team about material longevity and functional beauty.
“Its inclusion serves as a daily reminder and educational tool for the architectural team regarding material longevity and functional beauty,” the company explained.
Storage, samples and a founder’s collection
The Nigo Lounge sits near the entrance. Three of its walls are clad with 352 USM Haller cabinets that hold design and art pieces.
Another room in the tokyo brutalist warehouse holds Nota’s library of physical architecture samples. The samples sit in 96 custom Globe-Trotter trunks. Each trunk can be searched through a QR code, which turns the collection into a working materials library.
The showpieces reflect the company’s origins. Nota says founder Shinji Hamauzu began collecting vintage furniture and wanted properties that could display design masterpieces. Those pieces include work by the late designer Virgil Abloh and vintage furniture by Prouvé, Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Jeanneret.
For another headquarters that blurs the line between living and working, take a look at Vancouver’s Monos HQ Mixing Home and Workspace, which pairs residential comfort with flexible office zones.
Not a Hotel began as a startup in 2020, according to the company’s website. Hamauzu, the co-CEO and chief visionary, has described the business as a way to pair top creative talent with homes in Japan‘s natural settings. The headquarters extends that idea into a working space.
The headquarters has been shortlisted in the large workplace interiors category of the 2026 Dezeen Awards. The studio is also working on a giant Poké Ball guest room and a new district in Tokyo with Nigo and Pharrell.
Via dezeen.com
Frequently asked questions
What is the Not a Hotel headquarters in Tokyo located in?
The headquarters is in a 1967 logistics warehouse in Tokyo. The building has exposed concrete, a steel frame, and ceilings that rise seven metres.
Who designed the interior of the Not a Hotel headquarters?
The interior was designed by Not a Hotel Architects, the in-house architecture team of Japanese company Not a Hotel. The team kept the building’s existing structure as a central feature.
What is the Nigo Lounge in the Not a Hotel office?
The Nigo Lounge is a space near the entrance that hosts owners of the Nigo House, a hotel built into a cliff overlooking Tokyo Bay. Three of its walls are clad with 352 USM Haller cabinets holding design and art pieces.
What is inside the Harumi Lounge at the Not a Hotel headquarters?
The Harumi Lounge holds a 15-metre table with a decorative wooden top, beneath the seven-metre ceiling. It also contains an original demountable house designed by Jean Prouvé, which staff can use for work or meetings.
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