O deseño Amami House Casa de Kazunori Sakai é un estimado gañador do moi prestixioso 2026 A' Design Award de Prata na Categoría de Competición Deseño de Arquitectura, Edificación e Estruturas.

PrataArquitectura· 2026

Amami House Casa

de Kazunori Sakai

Cliente: Sakai Architects

Gañador do A' Design Award de Prata na Categoría Arquitectura

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Cores

O Deseño

Sobre Amami House Casa

Amami House é unha residencia autosuficiente na illa de Amami, Xapón, planificada para unha familia de catro membros. A illa ten un clima cálido e húmido con baixos niveis de radiación solar. A casa permite unha vida confortable sen dependencia da rede eléctrica nin do aire acondicionado. Estratexias pasivas como a ventilación natural, a iluminación natural e o illamento reducen a necesidade de sistemas mecánicos. A forma tradicional do tellado a catro augas con gablete reinterprétase con características contemporáneas de alto rendemento. Un quentador solar de auga, un sistema de compostaxe e un horto doméstico completan un pequeno ciclo de autosuficiencia.

O Recoñecemento

Sobre o A' Design Award de Prata

Amami House Casa gañou o A' Design Award de Prata, un recoñecemento enormemente prestixioso outorgado a deseños de gama alta, fermosos e impresionantes. Os gañadores Prata son obras tremendamente brillantes e sumamente creativas que ilustran a pericia, o talento e a agudeza sobresaíntes dos seus deseñadores. Espérase que Amami House Casa sexa unha obra marabillosa, escaparate de oficio, notablemente profesional e profundamente innovadora. Este deseño gañador do A' Design Award de Prata é unha invención moi notable e admirada que beneficia e fai avanzar os límites da arte, a ciencia, o deseño e a tecnoloxía. Amami House Casa é unha creación moi envexada que esperta desexos, achega sentimentos positivos e prende asombro e marabilla.

Detrás do deseño

Kit de prensa

Créditos, membros do equipo e detalles técnicos proporcionados polo deseñador.

Propiedades Únicas: Located on Amami Island, an island with a hot and humid climate and among the lowest levels of solar radiation in Japan, this self-sufficient house investigates how a family of four can live comfortably without dependence on the power grid or air conditioning.

Rooted in the island’s unique climate and culture, the design reinterprets vernacular architecture through passive strategies, including natural ventilation, daylighting, and insulation, thereby minimizing reliance on mechanical systems.

The project presents a sustainable model of living in harmony with nature, nurturing resilience, and quietly redefining what it means to dwell in the modern world.
Dimensións e Embalaxe: A vacuum-tube solar water heater installed on the east-facing roof supplies domestic hot water, reaching 60 to 97 degrees Celsius in summer and around 30 degrees in winter. Only minimal backup from a gas heater is needed, reducing gas consumption to less than half of that in the family’s previous rental home. Groundwater use was initially considered, but high iron content led to the adoption of a public water supply for greater reliability. The sauna is heated with wood repurposed from local construction offcuts, creating a circular resource exchange with nearby builders. A composting system turns kitchen waste into fertilizer for the home garden, where vegetables grown on-site return to the dining table, forming a small yet tangible cycle of self-sufficiency.
Etiquetas: Off-grid housing, Passive design, Self-sufficient living, Vernacular architecture, Japan, Sustainable architecture, Resilient design, Energy autonomy, Community living, Climate-responsive design
Tecnoloxía de Produción: Amami is often called the “Island of Yui,” known for its deeply interwoven social ties. Traditional celebrations for children’s milestones often bring together more than 80 relatives and neighbors, reflecting a collective culture where child-rearing is shared across families and the wider community, and homes have historically functioned as both private and communal spaces. In recent years, however, such practices have diminished due to nuclear families, standardized housing, and the impact of the pandemic. This house responds by reintroducing openness and generosity into the domestic realm, creating spaces where people can naturally gather and share time together, reviving and sustaining the island’s cultural traditions.
Reto de Deseño: The hardest part was designing a truly self-sufficient house in one of Japan’s most demanding climates—hot, humid, and with limited solar radiation—while removing dependence on the power grid and air conditioning. Balancing comfort and resilience required continuous testing of passive strategies, energy autonomy, and spatial composition, with every decision responding precisely to local climate data. Equally challenging was integrating cultural elements such as the dispersed house form, the openness of yui community ties, and traditional roof expressions into a contemporary language sustaining both environmental and communal life.
Inspiración: Inspired by the vernacular landscapes of Amami, where corrugated metal roofs are commonly seen across local settlements, the design inherits the traditional hip-and-gable roof form and integrates contemporary performance features such as insulation, ventilation, and natural lighting. Through this synthesis, the project reinterprets and reconstructs the roof as a new architectural typology that connects local identity with modern functionality.
Duración do Proxecto: Design Period: February 2018 – December 2023
Construction Period: January 2024 – August 2024
Amami island, KAGOSHIMA, JAPAN.
Fluxo de Operacións: The project gently explores a sustainable way of living in harmony with the natural environment. Embracing the unique climate and culture of the southern islands, it quietly reexamines what it means to dwell in the modern age.
Membros do Equipo: KAZUNORI SAKAI（ARCHITECT)
MASAYUKI TAKATA (Structural Engineer)
TOMOHIRO URATA (Garden Designer)
KAZUHIKO HANAI (Lighting Designer)
KAZUNORI KAWAGUCHI (Main Contractor)
MAKOTO TANAKA (Carpenter)
MICHIHIKO MINESHIMA (Electrical Contractor)
YASUNORI SAKAE (Plumbing Contractor）
Créditos das Imaxes: TOSHIHISA ISHII