Press Release
Shin Takamatsu and Kei Tamai Is Honored with the Bronze A' Design Award for Yokohama Tsuzuki Housing in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
Shin Takamatsu and Kei Tamai honored for architecture, building and structure design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 19, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has confirmed the Bronze A' Design Award in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category for Yokohama Tsuzuki Housing by Shin Takamatsu and Kei Tamai, designed for Skymission. The result belongs to the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
The Bronze A' Design Award Explained
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.
Regarding Yokohama Tsuzuki Housing
Yokohama Tsuzuki is a detached house built in a densely populated urban area in Japan. The plan is organized around a central courtyard, kept as large as local regulations allow. All rooms face the courtyard, so the interior reads as one connected space. The sky stays visible from every room, marking the change of seasons indoors. The layout is flexible and can be adapted as family needs change. The site area is 213.98 square meters and the total floor area is 160.02 square meters. The design follows traditional Japanese houses, which brought light and air into daily life.
About Shin Takamatsu and Kei Tamai
In Japan's urban areas, the population has begun to decline and we are now in an era where there are too many houses, and even though this will continue to progress, unnecessary densification continues. If we hold out for a while now, we can maintain this favorable environment into the future. Now that we have moved from an era of expanding towns to an era of shrinking towns, carefully constructing each house will lead to a beautiful town. Building homes that lead to the future is our social contribution.
Award Record
With this recognition, Shin Takamatsu and Kei Tamai is a winner of 3 A' Design Awards. The awards were granted in the 2024 - 2025 edition of the A' Design Award & Competition.
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. It 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. Typical entries include skyscrapers, museums, residential buildings, commercial complexes, educational institutions and religious structures. The awarded architectural projects are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/architecture
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is 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. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously 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. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which 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, uploading a work and receiving a 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. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/164234
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/164234
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!164234
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/358358
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://pr-h.net/
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
- Yokohama Tsuzuki Housing
- Function
- Housing
- Category
- Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture
- Colors
- Dark Slate Gray, Black, Cornflower Blue, Steel Blue and Sky Blue
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Skymission
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Shin Takamatsu and Kei Tamai
- Country
- Japan
- Recognition
- Bronze A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #164234
Credits
- Team
- Shin Takamatsu
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- This project, designed by renowned architect, seeks to create a home where one can live in harmony with nature, even in densely populated cities. Inspired by traditional Japanese homes, architect redefines modern living through a deep connection to the sky. At the heart of the design is a large central courtyard, connecting every room and creating a unified space. No matter where one is, the sky is ever-present, offering a sense of being embraced by the open air.
- Inspiration
- Living close to neighboring houses is inevitable around major cities. Modern homes focus mainly on insulation, airtightness, and energy efficiency. People close their curtains to avoid the view from roads and nearby houses. In contrast, traditional Japanese homes embraced nature and the local climate, harmonizing with their surroundings and reflecting the lifestyle of the residents. It’s essential to restore these important values, which are gradually being lost in today’s modern living.
- Research
- Traditional Japanese homes, like Kyoto's machiya, were designed to bring natural elements such as light and air into daily life, even in densely built cities. These homes had a garden at their center, creating comfort, respect for nature, and a unique aesthetic. Modern homes, however, prioritize performance and have become isolated from nature, heavily relying on energy. Now is the time to revive the traditional Japanese lifestyle, reducing energy use and reconnecting with nature.
- Challenge
- In the suburbs of major cities, small-scale developments for mass markets dominate, leading to declining living environments. Our company resists this trend by maintaining developments at their current scale to preserve quality. For properties priced over 100 million yen, delivering value is crucial, and working with renowned architects is one approach. While spec homes make achieving ideal designs easier, strict budget constraints create constant challenges between cost and design.
- Realization and Technology
- The house is centered around a courtyard, as large as legally allowed, with all rooms surrounding it, forming a one-room space. The sky fills every corner, creating a living space always connected to it. From every room, the sky reflects seasonal changes, enriching the sense of time indoors. The courtyard enhances spaciousness and flow, adding vitality and relaxation to life. This flexible layout adapts to the residents' needs, embracing changes in family life as they grow.
- Operation and Interaction
- The sky fills every corner of the house, creating a living space that is always connected to it. From the rooms, the sky reflects the seasonal changes, bringing a rich sense of time into the home. The courtyard creates a sense of openness and flow, greater than its physical size, fostering a life filled with relaxation and energy. This generous layout is flexible, able to accommodate the evolving nature of the family, growing and changing along with them over time.
- Project Duration and Location
- The collaboration between architect and principal home began in 2014. The first few years were devoted to discussions on project direction. In 2016, a clear vision was established, and design work began. In 2017, they completed "around the sky," which received the good design award. Following that, they built "with the sky" and "along the sky." This year, the construction of two buildings named "in the sky" was completed.
- Specifications
- Site area 213.98 square meter Building area 85.29 square meter Total floor area 160.02 square meter
- Keywords
- housing,japan,modern,architecture,Tokyo
