YN International School Underwiisfoarsjenning by Nobuaki Miyashita

YN International School Underwiisfoarsjenning by Nobuaki Miyashita is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award yn Sulver in Arsjitektuer, Gebou en Struktuerûntwerp Competition Category.

SulverArsjitektuer· 2026

YN International School Underwiisfoarsjenning

by Nobuaki Miyashita

Client: Jones Lang LaSalle K.K.

A' Design Award yn Sulver Winner in Arsjitektuer Category

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The Design

About YN International School Underwiisfoarsjenning

YN International School is in planne ynternasjonale skoallekampus yn Yokohama, Japan. It ûntwerp ynterpretearret Japanske rysterrassen as in romtlik systeem foar learen. In trepsgewize massa riist fan noard nei súd op om te foldwaan oan strange skaadkontrôle, wylst beplante dakterrassen steapele binne as deistige bûtenlanden foar learen. In sintraal dakljocht en in iepen atrium bringe deiljocht djip yn de langwerpige plattegrûn en helpe learlingen har oriïntaasje te hâlden. Glêzen klaslokaalfronten hâlde it learen sichtber, wat nijsgjirrigens en kultueroerstiigjende útwikseling stipet. It terrein beslacht sa'n 11.300 kante meter.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award yn Sulver

YN International School Underwiisfoarsjenning is in winner fan de A' Design Award yn Sulver, in bûtengewoan prestisjeuze erkenning foar topûntwerpen dy't prachtich en yndrukwekkend binne. Sulverwinners binne tige briljante en ekstreem kreative wurken dy't de treflike ekspertize, it talint en de skerpsinnigens fan har ûntwerpers yllustrearje. Fan YN International School Underwiisfoarsjenning wurdt ferwachte dat it in prachtich foarbyldwurk is, opmerklik profesjoneel en djip ynnovatyf. Dit winnende ûntwerp fan de A' Design Award yn Sulver is in tige opfallende, bewûndere útfining dy't foardiel bringt en de grinzen fan keunst, wittenskip, ûntwerp en technology ferleget. YN International School Underwiisfoarsjenning is in skepping dêr't breed oerjûn wurdt, dy't winsken wekker makket, positive gefoelens bringt en ferwûnderjen en fernuvering opwekket.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Planned international school campus in Yokohama, Kanagawa (design 2023-2025, unbuilt). A rice-terrace-inspired section steps upward from north to south to satisfy strict shadow control, while stacking green roof terraces as everyday learning landscapes. A central skylight and atrium bring daylight deep into the long plan, and transparent classroom fronts promote curiosity and cross-cultural interaction. Site approx. 11,300 sqm; total construction floor area approx. 29,000 sqm.
Dimensions & Packaging: Planned campus: B2F + 5F; building height approx. 19.5 m. Typical floor height 3.9 m (1F-5F); ceiling height 3.0 m (1F-5F, B1) and 4.0 m (B2); floor height 4.4 m (B1) and 6.1 m (B2). Total construction floor area approx. 29,000 sqm on a site approx. 11,300 sqm. Key devices: stepped massing for shadow control, green roof terraces, central skylight and atrium, transparent classroom fronts.
Tags: Architecture, International school, Educational facility, Rice terraces, Green roof terraces, Atrium, Skylight, Daylight, Shadow control, Japanese culture
Production Technology: Realized through section, not a decorative skin. Terraces and roofs are layered as planted open spaces, forming a continuous learning landscape. A large skylight spans the center of the elongated volume, and an open atrium increases daylight penetration and visual connection between floors. Classroom fronts use glass partitions to keep learning visible and inviting while maintaining controlled separation.
Design Challenge: Challenge: create an internationally open learning environment while conveying Japanese culture without turning tradition into decoration, and also satisfy strict shadow control. The solution turns compliance into identity: a rice-terrace-inspired mass steps upward from north to south and layers green roof terraces as everyday learning landscapes. Inside, a large skylight and atrium secure daylight and orientation, while transparent classroom fronts keep learning visible and interactive.
Research: Type: design research. Objective: translate rice-terrace heritage into an educational campus that meets strict shadow control while providing biophilic learning space. Method: iterative north-to-south sectional studies; stacking green roof terraces; daylight strategy using a central skylight and atrium across an elongated plan; transparency via glass classroom fronts. Tools/Data: compliance and daylight checks. Result: a campus where cultural identity is experienced as daily landscape and light, supported by bright shared interiors and accessible terraces.
Inspiration: Inspired by rice terraces, a Japanese landscape shaped by slope, water, and time. The campus translates this heritage into an urban school: overlapping green roof terraces form a daily outdoor learning terrain, while the stepped section rising north to south responds rationally to strict shadow control. The concept lets international students sense Japanese culture through routine movement, light, and landscape, not as decoration.
Project Duration: Location: Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Design period: 2023-2025. Project status: unbuilt, construction not scheduled. The proposal forms a stepped, rice-terrace-like campus mass shaped by strict shadow control, with layered green roof terraces and a central skylight/atrium for daylight quality. Site approx. 11,300 sqm; total construction floor area approx. 29,000 sqm.
Operation Flow: The campus works as a vertical landscape. Students move along layered terraces and corridors around a central atrium, keeping orientation in the long plan. The skylight and atrium make shared spaces bright and legible, while green roof terraces support daily outdoor learning and rest. Glass-partitioned classrooms keep activities visible, encouraging curiosity, spontaneous encounters, and cross-cultural exchange.
Image Credits: Image #1: Nobuaki Miyashita (MR STUDIO Co.,Ltd.)
Image #2: Nobuaki Miyashita (MR STUDIO Co.,Ltd.)
Image #3: Nobuaki Miyashita (MR STUDIO Co.,Ltd.)
Image #4: Nobuaki Miyashita (MR STUDIO Co.,Ltd.)
Image #5: Nobuaki Miyashita (MR STUDIO Co.,Ltd.)