Press Release
A' Design Award in Architecture, Building and Structure Design Goes to Two Sails House by Yukihiro Nakagawa
Yukihiro Nakagawa recognized 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 18, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ Two Sails House by Yukihiro Nakagawa, designed for MASTER CRAFT Co.Ltd, has been granted the A' Design Award in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The result belongs to 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 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.
Regarding Two Sails House
Two Sails is a seaside house designed for a two generation family. The two story wooden building stands in Okayama, Japan, with a building area of 250 square meters on a plot of 800 square meters. The roof form recalls a ship sail and helps draw natural light and sea breezes into the interior. Living spaces are divided into northern and southern zones, so each generation keeps its own privacy. A roofed corridor links the two zones and allows movement even on rainy days. The exterior walls are clad in durable metal that resists corrosion from sea air.
About Yukihiro Nakagawa
Yukihiro Nakagawa is a professional architect based in Okayama, Japan. His primary expertise is in designing residential and retail spaces. He specializes in creating comfortable and visually appealing environments that surpass client expectations. His ultimate goal is to design buildings that are not only functional but also inspire people to visit them. His design policy is to design homes his clients want to live in forever.
Award Record
Yukihiro Nakagawa is a winner of 2 A' Design Awards, including this recognition. The awards span the editions from 2023 - 2024 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/180999
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/180999
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!180999
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/352548
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://mastercraft.co.jp
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
- Two Sails House
- Function
- House
- Category
- Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture
- Colors
- Sky Blue, Dark Slate Gray, Dark Olive Green, Black and Gray
- Images
- 5
- Client
- MASTER CRAFT Co.Ltd
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Yukihiro Nakagawa
- Country
- Japan
- Recognition
- A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #180999
Credits
- Image Credits
- Photographer Senichiro Nogami
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- This project is a seaside residence designed for a two generation family accommodating both parents and children.The design takes advantage of the coastal location to introduce natural light and sea breezes creating an open and comfortable living environment.Careful attention is given to zoning and circulation to respect the daily rhythms and privacy of each generation while also allowing for shared family experiences.
- Inspiration
- This house located near the sea is a two family residence characterized by a roof form reminiscent of a ship sail.The sail like roof gently captures the sea breeze and soft natural light creating a comfortable living environment throughout the home.The design allows the two households to respect each lifestyle while remaining gently connected creating a living environment that harmonizes with the surrounding natural landscape.
- Research
- The residence is designed so that a two generation family can live with a comfortable sense of distance with the living spaces divided into northern and southern zones. A roofed corridor is provided to ensure seamless circulation between the areas allowing movement even on rainy days.
- Challenge
- The exterior walls are clad in durable metal materials that withstand the corrosive effects of sea breezes ensuring that the building maintains its striking appearance even in harsh coastal conditions.
- Realization and Technology
- Two story wooden building
- Operation and Interaction
- It is designed to symbolize two vessels sailing side by side representing the hope that the family can live together harmoniously for generations.
- Project Duration and Location
- Built in Okayama, Japan in 2025
- Specifications
- Land area 800 square meters Building area 250 square meters
- Keywords
- House, Architects, Building, Japan, Sail
