Press Release
UDS Ltd. Is Honored with the Silver A' Design Award for Soki Atami Hotel in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
UDS Ltd. honored for architecture, building and structure design by the international grand jury of the 2020 - 2021 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 23, 2021 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Soki Atami Hotel by UDS Ltd., designed for Soki Atami, has been granted the Silver A' Design Award in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category. The award was conferred within the 2020 - 2021 A' Design Award & Competition and was reached 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.
What the Silver A' Design Award Means
The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
About Soki Atami Hotel
Soki Atami is a hot spring luxury hotel located in Atami, a coastal resort town in Shizuoka, known as one of the earliest hot spring retreats in Japan. This project aims to revise the way of hot springs accommodation in a Ryokan more adaptable for the current lifestyle and to rediscover the charm of the region by creating connections between guests and local’s rich nature, culture, and people. All rooms come complete with a personal hot spring, while other facilities include a public onsen, a restaurant with a garden, and a top floor Tea Salon & Bar overlooking Atami Bay.
About UDS Ltd.
UDS is a design firm dedicated to creating sustainable, fun and lively urban spaces by pursuing an optimum balance of social responsibility and business profitability. We are a one-stop provider of business planning, architectural design, and commercial operation services, all under one roof. Whatever the use or function, every space we create is truly unique to the community it serves, and we achieve it by integrating all aspects of the physical environment.
Award Record
With this recognition, UDS Ltd. 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
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/120003
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/120003
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!120003
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/301823
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
- Soki Atami Hotel
- Function
- Hotel
- Category
- Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture
- Colors
- Black, Royal Blue, Dark Slate Gray, Dark Olive Green and Dim Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Soki Atami
The Recognition
- Laureate
- UDS Ltd.
- Country
- Japan
- Recognition
- Silver A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2020 - 2021
- Design ID
- #120003
Credits
- Team
- Living Corporation Ltd., TONERICO:INC., Hiroshi Yoneya, Ken Kimizuka, Jun Kameda, + age co.,ltd, Ichiro Sato, Saori Murozono, desegno ltd., Hakujitsu, Kanto Iwamura, UDS Ltd. Yusaku Takahashi, Tetsuya Akaiwa, UDS Ltd. Yoshiyuki Takahashi and UDS Ltd. Kumiko Fujisawa, Mao Sawada, Ayaka Watanabe, Megumu Ando
- Image Credits
- Daiki Morita; Satoshi Asakawa
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Soki Atami is a hot spring luxury hotel located in Atami, a coastal resort town in Shizuoka, which is known as one of the oldest hot spring retreats in Japan. This project aims to revise the traditional Ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) experience to be more suitable for modern lifestyles. Moreover, it aims to rediscover the charm of the region by creating connections between guests and the locality's rich nature, culture, and people.
- Inspiration
- In Japan, natural hot springs are thought to possess healing properties and offer health benefits. This concept, referred to as Toji, serves as the inspiration for Soki Atami. This project aims to design an innovative, all-encompassing healing experience by showcasing the local culture and history, as well as allowing guests to enjoy the healing effects of hot spring bathing and cuisine made from natural, locally-sourced ingredients.
- Research
- In order to design the hot spring hotel, the project team researched the history of the region and experienced traditional Japanese hot spring culture, not only in Atami but also at other hot spring locations. The restaurant counter design is inspired by Robatayaki, a style of Japanese barbeque, in which guests can converse with the chef while enjoying the view of the hot charcoal over an open fire.
- Challenge
- Soki Atami emphasized collaboration with local industries to create the space and services. The logs and stones used in Soki are locally sourced and carefully handcrafted by local craftsmen. The produce used in the restaurant comes from local farmers and fishermen. Through the selection of local materials and ingredients, the project showcases this hidden gem to the guests and many people around the world.
- Realization and Technology
- The project mostly makes use of locally-sourced materials. The interior finishes feature natural materials such as wood, charred cedar, Japanese plastering, and traditional Washi paper dyed with natural pigments. Locally-sourced cypress and cedar from the Tenryu region of Shizuoka prefecture, as well as Hon-Komatsu stone from the town of Manazuru in Kanagawa prefecture, offer a special touch to the design. Finally, Japanese antique "Brocante" decorations are incorporated into the building's simple but modern design.
- Operation and Interaction
- Soki Atami fosters a strong connection with the local community. Much of the materials used in building are sourced from the region, and guests can experience the region's local specialties by enjoying seasonal delicacies sourced from local fishers, farmers, and other producers. Many of the herbs harvested in the garden are used in the Public Onsen, a Dining Room, and Tea Salon & Bar.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in July 2017 in Atami, Shizuoka, Japan, and began operation on November 1, 2020. The hot spring in Atami was discovered about 1,260 years ago. After Ieyasu Tokugawa (a general from the Edo period) visited Atami several times; due to the effectiveness of the hot springs, the city became well-known as a place to recover from illness and injury.
- Keywords
- Hotel, Design, Japan, Hot Spring, Onsen, Retreat, Self Care, Izu Peninsula, Locality, Ryokan
