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DesignNewswire · COMO, Italy ·

Museum Commercial Building by Hiromoto Oki Wins the Bronze A' Design Award in Architecture, Building and Structure Design

Hiromoto Oki acknowledged for architecture, building and structure design by the international grand jury of the 2019 - 2020 A' Design Award & Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMO, Italy, April 22, 2020 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has confirmed the Bronze A' Design Award in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category for Museum Commercial Building by Hiromoto Oki, designed for OOKI Architects & Associates. The award was conferred within the 2019 - 2020 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who scored anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.

About the Bronze A' Design Award

The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.

About Museum Commercial Building

Museum is a commercial building located in Wakayama, Japan. The building is situated in a quayside area and from a boat it seems to float on the sea, and from a car, it gives the incredible impression of swaying, so that it is intimately linked with the visual qualities of the marine environment. This impression of swaying takes place because a glass wall and the inner solid wall have different design properties, and as a consequence create this unlikely but beautiful effect. The facility aims to be both a centre of culture in Tanabe and also to provide a vital area for recreation.

About Hiromoto Oki

Hiromoto Oki takes a research based approach to a wide variety of projects, from a private funerary facility to huge buildings such as hotels, hospitals, casinos. Inspired by local matters such as environmental problems and ethnic issues, his designs have integrated buildings and local landscapes and have created a sense of belonging for people who use his works.

Award Record

With this recognition, Hiromoto Oki is a winner of 1 A' Design Award.

About the A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award

The A' Architecture Design Award is an international architectural design competition recognizing good architectural designs by best architects worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to architectural design studios, building contractors, structural engineering firms and architecture and design consultants from all countries. Entries typically include skyscrapers, museums, residential buildings, commercial complexes, educational institutions and religious structures. Awarded architectural projects are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/architecture

About A' Design Award & Competition

A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com

Press Resources

Media Contact

Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953

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Fact Sheet

The Work

Project
Museum Commercial Building
Function
Commercial Building
Category
Architecture, Building and Structure Design
Discipline
Spatial Design
Industry
Architecture
Colors
Royal Blue, Midnight Blue, Black, Dark Slate Blue and Dark Slate Gray
Images
5
Client
OOKI Architects & Associates

The Recognition

Laureate
Hiromoto Oki
Country
Japan
Recognition
Bronze A' Design Award
Edition
2019 - 2020
Design ID
#100289

Credits

Image Credits
OOKI Architects & Associates

Design Details

Unique Properties
From a boat, this quayside building seems to float on the sea, and from a car, it gives the incredible impression of swaying, so that it is intimately linked with the visual qualities of the marine environment. The impression of swaying takes place because a glass wall and the inner solid wall have different design properties, and as a consequence create this unlikely but beautiful effect. The facility aims to be both a centre of culture in Tanabe and also to provide a vital area for recreation.
Inspiration
Inspired by the surface of the water and environmental issues around the sea, the architect has designed a work that stands with people who live with the sea and the quayside area of a town, Tanabe.
Research
We arrived at this design that embraces the waterfront environment and nature around it after researching the historical background of Mori Bay, its importance for the local community, and the characteristics of buildings around the bay. In the area, the construction of the wharf started in 1934. It was the very first step that made the small local bay into the gateway to the sea for the whole city of Tanabe. Unfortunately, the port was severely damaged during the Nankai Earthquake in 1946; however, it has been restored by local citizens’ efforts and improved one after another.
Challenge
The building has an amazing view of a bay and a world heritage, Kumano Kodo (part of Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range). The major challenges of this project were to coexist with nature and to have positive effects on marine activities and the waterfront without spoiling the landscape. The facade has warm terracotta, wood-painted glass art, and thin columns; and it creates a sense of unity with nature. This effect creates the impression that the building naturally stands in the scenery.
Realization and Technology
structure: steel, material: terracotta, glass, aluminium
Operation and Interaction
The front entrance leads to the main hall, and shops are lined up along with the hallway. For the sea side entrance, it is characterized by wood-painted glass art, terracotta facades and thin columns, and on the left hand side, there is a path to the lounge that provides a relaxation space for visitors.
Project Duration and Location
project duration: 2016 - 2017, location: Tanabe, Wakayama, Japan
Specifications
total floor area: 977.45m2, width: 27.5m, length: 36.2m, height: 9m
Keywords
Commercial building, waterfront, quayside, glass

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