Press Release
Urawa Garden Bldg Office by Nobuaki Miyashita Is Granted the Silver A' Design Award in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
Nobuaki Miyashita of Mr Studio 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/ Urawa Garden Bldg Office by Nobuaki Miyashita of Mr Studio, designed for Garden Group, has been granted the Silver A' Design Award in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The recognition forms part of the 2024 - 2025 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.
About the Silver A' Design Award
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.
Regarding Urawa Garden Bldg Office
Urawa Garden Building is an office building in Urawa, Saitama, Japan. A through passage crosses the site and links the surrounding streets, recalling the former Nakaginza Seven shopping street. Open plazas along the passage give pedestrians and office workers places to meet. The facade carries floating glass cubes with varying transparency, so the appearance shifts with the daylight. Natural materials, greenery and art are used in the interior workspaces. Energy-efficient lighting and passive design strategies support comfort and sustainability.
About Mr Studio
An architectural firm based in Japan that designs various types of buildings, including residential homes, commercial facilities, hotels, offices, factories, and schools.
Award Record
With this recognition, Nobuaki Miyashita of Mr Studio is a winner of 11 A' Design Awards. The awards were granted between the 2023 - 2024 and the 2024 - 2025 editions 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/171588
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/171588
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!171588
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/353711
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://www.mrstudio.biz
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
- Urawa Garden Bldg Office
- Function
- Office
- Category
- Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture
- Colors
- Steel Blue, Cornflower Blue, Dark Slate Blue, Dark Slate Gray and Dark Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Garden Group
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Nobuaki Miyashita
- Country
- Japan
- Brand
- Mr Studio
- Recognition
- Silver A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2024 - 2025
- Design ID
- #171588
Credits
- Image Credits
- Image #1,#2,#3,#4,#5: Photographer Nobuaki Miyashita, 2024
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Urawa Garden Building is an office structure centered around a "through passage" that connects the city and its people. It inherits the memory of the former "Nakaginza Seven" shopping street, integrating passageways and plazas to enhance urban flow. Floating glass cubes on the facade interact with the cityscape, symbolizing openness and transparency. Inside, greenery and art installations create a stimulating workspace that fosters creativity and interaction.
- Inspiration
- The design draws inspiration from the site’s historical layers, reinterpreting Edo-period urban structures and the postwar vibrancy of local shopping streets. The building reconstructs past pedestrian flows, creating an open urban space. The floating glass cubes symbolize the lights and energy of the former market, establishing a new architectural landmark that bridges tradition and contemporary urban life.
- Research
- Type of Research: Urban architectural design Objective: Exploring the potential of offices integrating commercial and public space Methodology: Analysis of historical urban transitions, urban-scale simulations Data Collection: Pedestrian movement observations, visual simulations Results: Creation of an urban-office hybrid through passageways and plazas Impact: Enhancing pedestrian networks and establishing a new urban icon
- Challenge
- The primary challenge was balancing commercial functions with public accessibility. By strategically placing the through passage and open plazas, the project strengthened the connection between office spaces and the urban fabric. The floating glass cubes required innovative lightweight structures and varied transparency to seamlessly integrate the architecture with the cityscape.
- Realization and Technology
- The facade integrates glass panels with varying transparency, reflecting urban layers dynamically. Natural materials harmonize with the surroundings, creating a warm and inviting office space. An energy-efficient lighting scheme and passive design strategies enhance sustainability and comfort, ensuring an environmentally responsible and user-friendly work environment.
- Operation and Interaction
- The through passage seamlessly connects the building to the city, allowing both office workers and pedestrians to interact fluidly. Open plazas enhance community engagement, providing diverse activity spaces. The glass cubes on the facade capture light dynamically, shifting appearances throughout the day and reinforcing the building’s urban presence.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project is located in Urawa, Saitama, Japan, and was completed in February 2024.
- Specifications
- Site area: 1,854.21 square meters Building area: 1,159.37 square meters Total floor area: 10,967.32 square meters Structure: S (CFT), RC, SRC Number of floors: 1 basement, 10 above ground Max height: 43.7 meters Eaves height: 43.1 meters
- Keywords
- architecture, office, urban design, passage, glass facade, sustainability
