Press Release
PW Shonan Fujisawa Senior Residence by Uds Ltd. Wins the Silver A' Design Award in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
Uds Ltd. acknowledged for architecture, building and structure design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 24, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ PW Shonan Fujisawa Senior Residence by Uds Ltd. 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 2025 - 2026 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 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 PW Shonan Fujisawa Senior Residence
PW Shonan Fujisawa is a senior residence designed for independent living in Fujisawa City, Japan. The complex includes an on-site clinic, adaptable care units and shared facilities. A low-rise shared building holds a lounge, cafe, bathing facilities, a restaurant and a library. Handrails integrated with half-walls, chairs that support easy sitting and standing, wheelchair-friendly tables and studied lighting plans provide safety and comfort. A public cafe, gym, plaza and garden face the street, making the residence a local meeting place.
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
This recognition makes Uds Ltd. a winner of 16 A' Design Awards. The awards span the editions from 2020 - 2021 to 2025 - 2026 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. 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://designers.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://designers.org/176964
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/176964
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!176964
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/301823
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://www.mfrw.co.jp/parkwellstate/fujisawa/
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
- PW Shonan Fujisawa Senior Residence
- Function
- Senior Residence
- Category
- Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture
- Colors
- Lavender, Dark Olive Green, Light Blue, Dim Gray and Dark Slate Gray
- Images
- 5
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Uds Ltd.
- Country
- Japan
- Recognition
- Silver A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #176964
Credits
- Team
- Daisuke Takamiya, Sayuri Suzuki, Takako Seino, Mayuko Horiuchi, Satoshi Koizumi and Shuhong Wang
- Image Credits
- Nacasa & Partners, 2024 Optional; Nacasa & Partners, 2024
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Research focused on balancing functionality and design for independent senior living and engagement with the local community. Methods included site analysis and case studies, including some testing such as chair mock-ups for sitting, standing, and evaluating lighting plans to ensure balance between safety, comfort, and attractive lighting, among other tests. Data informed participatory, lighting, and furniture design. These efforts foster multigenerational engagement and local revitalization.
- Inspiration
- Conventional senior homes often limit healthy, independent seniors to a life constrained by care needs, with few opportunities for social interaction or personal choice. This project was inspired by the desire to offer autonomy, social engagement, and personalized daily experiences later life, integrating an on-site clinic, adaptable care units, and diverse communal facilities. Public cafe, fitness areas, and parks further encourage multigenerational interaction and vibrant neighborhood life.
- Research
- Balancing senior safety with high-quality design was the central challenge. Lighting, handrails, chairs supporting easy sitting and standing, and accessible tables were designed. While conventional residences often sacrifice aesthetics for functionality, this project integrates both, achieving a five-star hotel-like quality. Attention to material selection, furniture, and interior landscaping further enhanced the residential experience while meeting all safety and accessibility standards.
- Challenge
- Fujisawa SST faced challenges of low foot traffic and a lack of multi-generational interaction. Objective: To solve these local issues by designing a senior residence as a new community destination. We placed a public cafe, plaza, and garden along key circulation paths. This created a new hub for specific multi-generational activities, presenting a model where design successfully generates both community vibrancy and social interaction.
- Realization and Technology
- The shared building features a beach-inspired lounge, cafe, and bathing facilities on the first floor, and a seaside villa-inspired restaurant and library on the third. Handrails integrated with half-walls, wheelchair-friendly tables, and modular public spaces ensure safety and accessibility without compromising design quality. Natural circulation paths and interior greenery connect residents with communal areas, balancing functionality and aesthetic appeal.
- Operation and Interaction
- The low-rise shared building evokes a seaside estate, integrating landscaping and a curtain wall emphasizing horizontal lines, creating a sense of openness. Public cafe and a gym face the street, welcoming community interaction. Interior greenery brings the outdoors inside, generating signature scenes that combine comfort, aesthetics, and an outdoor feeling. Residents circulate through communal and private spaces, fostering social interaction, autonomy, and connection with the surroundings.
- Project Duration and Location
- Construction Start: June 2021 Completion: June 2024 Open: October 2024 Location: Fujisawa City, Kanagawa, Japan
- Specifications
- Site area: 18,536.77sqm Total floor area: 45,345.44sqm
- Keywords
- senior, residence, residential, architecture, interior, landscape
