O design Amami House Casa por Kazunori Sakai é um vencedor altamente estimado do prestigioso 2026 A' Design Award de Prata na Categoria de Competição Design de Arquitetura, Edifícios e Estruturas.

PrataArquitetura· 2026

Amami House Casa

por Kazunori Sakai

Cliente: Sakai Architects

Vencedor do A' Design Award de Prata na Categoria Arquitetura

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O Design

Sobre Amami House Casa

A Amami House é uma residência autossuficiente na ilha de Amami, no Japão, projetada para uma família de quatro pessoas. A ilha apresenta clima quente e úmido, com baixos níveis de radiação solar. A casa proporciona uma vida confortável sem depender da rede elétrica ou de ar-condicionado. Estratégias passivas como ventilação natural, iluminação natural e isolamento térmico reduzem a necessidade de sistemas mecânicos. A forma tradicional do telhado de quatro águas com empena é reinterpretada com recursos de desempenho contemporâneos. Um aquecedor solar de água, um sistema de compostagem e uma horta doméstica completam um pequeno ciclo de autossuficiência.

O Reconhecimento

Sobre o A' Design Award de Prata

Amami House Casa conquistou o A' Design Award de Prata, um reconhecimento extraordinariamente prestigiado atribuído a designs de topo de gama, deslumbrantes e impressionantes. Os vencedores da Prata são obras tremendamente brilhantes e extremamente criativas que ilustram a perícia, o talento e a acuidade excecionais dos seus designers. Espera-se que Amami House Casa seja uma obra maravilhosa e de referência, notavelmente profissional e profundamente inovadora. Este design vencedor do A' Design Award de Prata é uma invenção muito notável e admirada, que beneficia e faz avançar as fronteiras da arte, da ciência, do design e da tecnologia. Amami House Casa é uma criação imensamente invejada que desperta desejos, traz sentimentos positivos e faz nascer espanto e deslumbramento.

Por Trás do Design

Kit de Imprensa

Créditos, membros da equipa e detalhes técnicos fornecidos pelo designer.

Propriedades Únicas: 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.
Dimensões e Embalagem: 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.
Etiquetas: Off-grid housing, Passive design, Self-sufficient living, Vernacular architecture, Japan, Sustainable architecture, Resilient design, Energy autonomy, Community living, Climate-responsive design
Tecnologia de Produção: 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.
Desafio de Design: 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.
Inspiração: 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.
Duração do Projeto: Design Period: February 2018 – December 2023
Construction Period: January 2024 – August 2024
Amami island, KAGOSHIMA, JAPAN.
Fluxo de Operação: 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.
Membros da Equipa: 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）
Créditos de Imagem: TOSHIHISA ISHII