Press Release
Nobuaki Miyashita Is Honored with the Silver A' Design Award for Miroku Nissho In Blue Industrial Factory 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 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 18, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ Miroku Nissho In Blue Industrial Factory by Nobuaki Miyashita of Mr Studio, designed for Miroku Corporation, 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 determined 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.
The Silver A' Design Award Explained
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 Miroku Nissho In Blue Industrial Factory
Miroku Nissho In Blue is an industrial factory in Nankoku, Kochi, Japan. The design translates the precision of firearm craftsmanship into architectural form. The massing is derived from the three interlinked rings of the company logo, giving rhythm and continuity to a large volume. The exterior uses ribbed steel panels in a custom blue coating, inspired by finely crafted metal and the deep blue of the Niyodo River. A steel truss with a 44 meter column free span keeps the production floor open, so equipment layouts and logistics remain flexible.
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 12 A' Design Awards. 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/181279
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/181279
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!181279
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/353711
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
- Miroku Nissho In Blue Industrial Factory
- Function
- Industrial Factory
- Category
- Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture
- Colors
- Dark Slate Gray, Dark Slate Blue, Black, Steel Blue and Cadet Blue
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Miroku Corporation
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Nobuaki Miyashita
- Country
- Japan
- Brand
- Mr Studio
- Recognition
- Silver A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #181279
Credits
- Image Credits
- Photographer Nobuaki Miyashita, Miroku Nissho In Blue, 2025.; Photographer Nobuaki Miyashita, Takafumi Yamashita, Miroku Nissho In Blue, 2025.
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- This industrial facility transforms the philosophy of precision firearm craftsmanship into architecture. Derived from the three interlinked rings of Miroku’s logo, the form expresses rhythm, continuity, and tension within a vast volume. Finished in Miroku Blue, inspired by finely crafted metal and the deep blue of the Niyodo River, the building visualizes corporate identity through material clarity, structural precision, and monumental simplicity.
- Inspiration
- Since its founding in 1893, Miroku has pursued firearms not as mere tools but as works of art defined by precision and beauty. This philosophy inspired the architectural concept. The corporate blue, rooted in the landscape of Kochi and the clarity of the Niyodo River, became the central motif. The building extends craftsmanship into architectural scale, redefining industrial production as artistic expression.
- Research
- Type of Research: Architectural semiotics and industrial spatial research. Research Objectives: To transform symbolic corporate elements into structural and spatial systems. Methodology: Semiotic analysis of logo geometry, structural optimization of 44 meter span trusses, facade performance studies. Data Collection: Production flow analysis, environmental performance simulation. Participants: Multidisciplinary team of architects and engineers. Results: A column free industrial monument integrating ZEB Ready environmental strategy.
- Challenge
- The primary challenge was reconciling symbolic architectural expression with strict industrial functionality. Internally, the project required translating over a century of craftsmanship philosophy into spatial form without reducing it to mere representation. Externally, long span structural limitations, production efficiency demands, cost constraints and regulatory requirements shaped the design. The solution was achieved through structural optimization of a 44 meter column free span and disciplined facade articulation, balancing monumentality with operational precision.
- Realization and Technology
- Steel structure with 44 meter column free truss span enables uninterrupted production lines. Exterior is finished with K Wall ribbed steel panels in custom Miroku Blue coating. Floor slab thickness ranges from 450 to 600 mm for future production flexibility. Structural precision reflects the manufacturing philosophy.
- Operation and Interaction
- Production, logistics and administration are organized along a clear spatial axis. Column free spans enable flexible equipment layout and operational efficiency. Visual continuity between zones enhances spatial awareness, transforming industrial workflow into a coherent architectural experience.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in June 2023 in Kochi and was completed in January 2025 in Nankoku, Japan. The facility consolidates production and administrative functions within a unified architectural volume reflecting corporate heritage and regional identity.
- Specifications
- Site Area: 32405.24 sqm Building Area: 12879.67 sqm Total Floor Area: 13649.63 sqm Structure: Steel Structure, 2 Floors Maximum Height: 11.15 m Main Span: Approx. 44 m Column Free Completion: January 2025 Location: Nankoku, Kochi, Japan
- Keywords
- Industrial Architecture, Corporate Identity, Precision Craftsmanship, Steel Structure, Long Span Factory, Miroku Blue, Japanese Manufacturing, Monumental Industrial Design
