Amami House Abitazione di Kazunori Sakai

Il progetto Amami House Abitazione di Kazunori Sakai è un vincitore molto stimato del prestigioso 2026 A' Design Award d'Argento nella categoria Design di Architettura, Edifici e Strutture.

ArgentoArchitettura· 2026

Amami House Abitazione

di Kazunori Sakai

Cliente: Sakai Architects

Vincitore del premio A' Design Award d'Argento nella categoria Architettura

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Verifica lo Stato del Premio per #177153

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Il Design

Informazioni su Amami House Abitazione

Amami House è una residenza autosufficiente sull'isola di Amami, in Giappone, progettata per una famiglia di quattro persone. L'isola presenta un clima caldo e umido con bassi livelli di radiazione solare. L'abitazione consente una vita confortevole senza dipendere dalla rete elettrica o dalla climatizzazione. Strategie passive come la ventilazione naturale, l'illuminazione diurna e l'isolamento riducono la necessità di impianti meccanici. La tradizionale copertura a padiglione con timpano viene reinterpretata con caratteristiche prestazionali contemporanee. Un impianto solare termico per l'acqua calda, un sistema di compostaggio e un orto domestico completano un piccolo ciclo di autosufficienza.

Il Riconoscimento

Informazioni sul A' Design Award d'Argento

Amami House Abitazione ha vinto l'A' Design Award d'Argento, un riconoscimento enormemente prestigioso conferito a design di fascia alta, splendidi e impressionanti. I vincitori d'Argento sono opere tremendamente brillanti ed estremamente creative che illustrano l'eccezionale competenza, il talento e l'acume dei loro designer. Ci si aspetta che Amami House Abitazione sia un'opera meravigliosa, una vetrina di eccellenza, notevolmente professionale e profondamente innovativa. Questo design vincitore dell'A' Design Award d'Argento è un'invenzione molto notevole e ammirata che giova ai confini dell'arte, della scienza, del design e della tecnologia e li fa avanzare. Amami House Abitazione è una creazione molto invidiata che evoca desideri, porta sentimenti positivi e accende meraviglia e stupore.

Dietro il Design

Press Kit

Crediti, membri del team e dettagli tecnici forniti dal designer.

Proprietà Uniche: Located on Amami Island, an island with a hot and humid climate and among the lowest levels of solar radiation in Japan, this self-sufficient house investigates how a family of four can live comfortably without dependence on the power grid or air conditioning.

Rooted in the island’s unique climate and culture, the design reinterprets vernacular architecture through passive strategies, including natural ventilation, daylighting, and insulation, thereby minimizing reliance on mechanical systems.

The project presents a sustainable model of living in harmony with nature, nurturing resilience, and quietly redefining what it means to dwell in the modern world.
Dimensioni e Confezionamento: A vacuum-tube solar water heater installed on the east-facing roof supplies domestic hot water, reaching 60 to 97 degrees Celsius in summer and around 30 degrees in winter. Only minimal backup from a gas heater is needed, reducing gas consumption to less than half of that in the family’s previous rental home. Groundwater use was initially considered, but high iron content led to the adoption of a public water supply for greater reliability. The sauna is heated with wood repurposed from local construction offcuts, creating a circular resource exchange with nearby builders. A composting system turns kitchen waste into fertilizer for the home garden, where vegetables grown on-site return to the dining table, forming a small yet tangible cycle of self-sufficiency.
Tag: Off-grid housing, Passive design, Self-sufficient living, Vernacular architecture, Japan, Sustainable architecture, Resilient design, Energy autonomy, Community living, Climate-responsive design
Tecnologia di Produzione: Amami is often called the “Island of Yui,” known for its deeply interwoven social ties. Traditional celebrations for children’s milestones often bring together more than 80 relatives and neighbors, reflecting a collective culture where child-rearing is shared across families and the wider community, and homes have historically functioned as both private and communal spaces. In recent years, however, such practices have diminished due to nuclear families, standardized housing, and the impact of the pandemic. This house responds by reintroducing openness and generosity into the domestic realm, creating spaces where people can naturally gather and share time together, reviving and sustaining the island’s cultural traditions.
Sfida Progettuale: The hardest part was designing a truly self-sufficient house in one of Japan’s most demanding climates—hot, humid, and with limited solar radiation—while removing dependence on the power grid and air conditioning. Balancing comfort and resilience required continuous testing of passive strategies, energy autonomy, and spatial composition, with every decision responding precisely to local climate data. Equally challenging was integrating cultural elements such as the dispersed house form, the openness of yui community ties, and traditional roof expressions into a contemporary language sustaining both environmental and communal life.
Ispirazione: Inspired by the vernacular landscapes of Amami, where corrugated metal roofs are commonly seen across local settlements, the design inherits the traditional hip-and-gable roof form and integrates contemporary performance features such as insulation, ventilation, and natural lighting. Through this synthesis, the project reinterprets and reconstructs the roof as a new architectural typology that connects local identity with modern functionality.
Durata del Progetto: Design Period: February 2018 – December 2023
Construction Period: January 2024 – August 2024
Amami island, KAGOSHIMA, JAPAN.
Flusso Operativo: The project gently explores a sustainable way of living in harmony with the natural environment. Embracing the unique climate and culture of the southern islands, it quietly reexamines what it means to dwell in the modern age.
Membri del Team: KAZUNORI SAKAI（ARCHITECT)
MASAYUKI TAKATA (Structural Engineer)
TOMOHIRO URATA (Garden Designer)
KAZUHIKO HANAI (Lighting Designer)
KAZUNORI KAWAGUCHI (Main Contractor)
MAKOTO TANAKA (Carpenter)
MICHIHIKO MINESHIMA (Electrical Contractor)
YASUNORI SAKAE (Plumbing Contractor）
Crediti Immagini: TOSHIHISA ISHII