Press Release
A' Design Award in Interior Space and Exhibition Design Goes to Ryukyu Sanctuary Restaurant by Shinjiro Heshiki
The international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition recognizes Shinjiro Heshiki for interior space and exhibition design
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 21, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ Ryukyu Sanctuary Restaurant by Shinjiro Heshiki, designed for Shabu Shabu Ryukyu, has been granted the A' Design Award in the Interior Space and Exhibition Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The award was conferred within the 2025 - 2026 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 assessed anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the A' Design Award
The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.
About Ryukyu Sanctuary Restaurant
Ryukyu Sanctuary is a restaurant interior located on Kokusai-dori Avenue in Naha, Okinawa. The facade is shaped like a coral shell, formed from custom-curved steel bars hand-painted in coral blue and emerald tones. Passing through the entrance, guests move from the busy street into a calm dining room. Hand-plastered walls recreate the texture of coral formations. A stained glass partition of 4700 by 1700 millimetres carries motifs of the sea and land of Okinawa. Ryukyu glass and indirect lighting complete the space.
About Shinjiro Heshiki
He was born in Okinawa Prefecture. After graduating from high school, he moved to Tokyo and entered a design school. After graduation, he worked at a shop design office, where he designed restaurants, retail stores, apparel stores, and houses. He moved to Los Angeles LA USA in 1991. While living in the U.S., he worked as a bartender and club manager, while working in design for a living. This background in restaurants seems to have enhanced his design communication. And returned to Japan in 2001, Then he started his own company, emergene, inc.
Award Record
With this recognition, Shinjiro Heshiki is a winner of 6 A' Design Awards. The awards were granted between the 2020 - 2021 and the 2025 - 2026 editions of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award
The A' Interior Design Award is an international interior design competition recognizing good interior designs by interior designers and architects worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to interior designers, interior architects, architects and decorators from all countries. Typical entries include residential interiors, restaurants, hotels, offices, galleries and retail stores. The awarded interior designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/interior
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://designers.org/173349
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/173349
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!173349
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/292694
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://bit.ly/4tYm5B7
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
- Ryukyu Sanctuary Restaurant
- Function
- Restaurant
- Category
- Interior Space and Exhibition Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture and Packaging & Retail
- Colors
- Saddle Brown, Sienna, Dark Slate Gray, Black and Dark Olive Green
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Shabu Shabu Ryukyu
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Shinjiro Heshiki
- Country
- Japan
- Recognition
- A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #173349
Credits
- Image Credits
- Photographer: Masahiro Ishibashi
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Located on Okinawa's busy Kokusai-dori, the facade's coral shell evokes a reef in emerald green seas, acting as a portal. In Okinawa, coral symbolizes protection and life. This design bridges tradition with modern art via hand-crafted plaster that recreates the tactile texture of reefs. Inside, city noise fades into a serene, underwater dimension. The sanctuary mirrors the mythical Dragon Palace, a space where local heritage, craftsmanship, and hospitality coexist in harmony.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by Ryugu-jo, the mythical undersea palace. This project embodies "Authentic Ryukyu Modern" by blending Okinawan heritage with contemporary luxury. It seeks to recreate the serene beauty of coral reefs submerged in emerald green waters, redefining traditional motifs into a timeless spatial experience that honors the island's natural and cultural roots.
- Research
- This project explores the link between Okinawa and the sea, using coral as a vital cultural symbol. Research focused on translating coral's protective qualities into a spatial experience. By using local craft and Ryukyu glass, the design reinterprets natural elements for a modern context. Despite strict fire and signage codes, the project transformed legal constraints into a landmark facade that honors marine heritage and Okinawa's poetic spirit.
- Challenge
- Strict fire codes required smoke exhaust windows on the facade, while local laws prohibited external signage. These constraints were overcome by using the cubic curvature of custom steel bars to mask functional elements, creating a facade that acts as its own landmark. By integrating a banyan tree motif into the play of shadows, the building achieves a distinctive identity that prioritizes artistic expression over conventional commercial branding, harmonizing necessity with creativity.
- Realization and Technology
- The facade features custom-curved steel bars hand-painted in coral-blue and emerald tones to mimic reef rhythms. Interior walls use hand-plastered textures to recreate the tactile depth of coral formations. A 4700mm x 1700mm glass partition combines stained-glass artistry with traditional motifs. By integrating Ryukyu glass with indirect lighting, the design achieves a balance of materiality and ethereal light, blending local craftsmanship with contemporary spatial art.
- Operation and Interaction
- The journey begins on vibrant Kokusai-dori Avenue. Passing through the coral shell facade, guests experience a dramatic sensory shift as urban noise is replaced by serene silence. This threshold acts as a portal to another dimension. Inside, the play of light through Ryukyu glass and tactile reef-like walls create an immersive underwater world. This transition from the chaotic city to a tranquil sanctuary allows diners to lose track of time, fully entering the mythical atmosphere of the Dragon Palace.
- Project Duration and Location
- Design planning for the project began in February 2024 in Naha, Okinawa, with construction completed in July 2024.
- Specifications
- Stained-glass: 4700 mm x 1700 mm. Floor area: 154 sqm. Ceiling height: 2800 mm. Structure: Reinforced Concrete. Finishes: Hand-plastered art walls, steel flat-bar art painting, custom Ryukyu glass installations.
- Keywords
- Okinawa Design, Ryukyu Glass, Coral Reef Architecture, Undersea Atmosphere, Ryugu-jo Concept, Handcrafted Plaster Art, Japanese Restaurant, Light and Shadow, Cultural Identity, Authentic Ryukyu Modern
