A Grand Prize winner and four Excellence honorees have just been named at the culmination of the first-ever NOT A HOTEL design competition called by the Japanese vacation stays platform. The competition is aimed at architects and creators under the age of 40 interested in selling their speculative designs for a secluded retreat located at the foot of Mt. Asama, Japan.The Grand Prize entrywill be realized and later put for sale on the market as the next accommodation in the four-year-old brand's ratherluminous portfolio of high-end designs, which includes names like BIG and Sou Fujimoto. A total of 620 entries from 23 different countries were submitted from around the world for a chance at the honor.Mohamed Hassan Elgendy and Nahed Zmeter of the Milan practice UNFORMED emerged as the winners. On behalf of the duo, Elgendy said: "This recognition undoubtedly marks a significant milestone in my career. I believe one of the reasons my proposal was selected lies in its clear and comp...