Oott Hana Nui: Nā Hōkele by Toru Teraoka

Oott Hana Nui: Nā Hōkele by Toru Teraoka is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Kala in Hoʻolālā Hoʻokipa, Leʻaleʻa, Huakaʻi a me Mākaʻikaʻi Competition Category.

KalaHoʻokipa· 2026

Oott Hana Nui: Nā Hōkele

by Toru Teraoka

Client: OOTT | Toru Teraoka

A' Design Award Kala Winner in Hoʻokipa Category

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Verified Award Winner

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Visit Site View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Oott Hana Nui: Nā Hōkele

Kikokikona Puke: Ma loko o nā ululāʻau o Karuizawa, ua hoʻohālikeʻia kēia keʻena ma ke ʻano he wahi kahi e hui ai ka hana kūkulu hale, ke ʻano maoli o ka ʻāina, a me ke kaiāulu. Ua hoʻomohalaʻia i loko o kahi kokoke i hoʻokahi ʻumi makahiki ma o ka launa pū ʻana ma waena o ka mea kūʻai, ka mea kūkulu, a me ka mea hoʻolālā hale, a ua lilo ia i ʻāpana o kahi ʻāina e ulu mau ana me nā hale kūpono no nā ʻīlio. Lawelawe ka hale ma ke ʻano he keʻena hoʻomaha kaiāulu a me kahi wahi hoʻomaʻamaʻa i loko o ka hale. Ke wehe ʻia nā puka nui, hui pū ka loko me ka ululāʻau, e ʻae ana i ka ʻāina e kahe aku ma waena. He kaupaku papa e hoʻokomo ana i ka mālamalama palupalu o ke ao, e hana ana i kahi ʻano mālie. Hōʻike ke kūkulu lāʻau maʻalahi i ke ʻano e hui ai nā mea haʻahaʻa me ke ʻano maoli o ka ʻāina.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Kala

Ua lanakila ka hoʻolālā Oott Hana Nui: Nā Hōkele i ka A' Design Award Kala, he ʻike hoʻohanohano nui loa i hāʻawi ʻia i nā hoʻolālā kiʻekiʻe loa, nani a kupaianaha. He mau hana ʻālohilohi loa a hana noʻeau nui nā lanakila Kala e hōʻike ana i ka loea, ka makakoho a me ka ʻoi aku o ka noʻonoʻo o kā lākou poʻe hoʻolālā. Manaʻo ʻia ʻo ka hoʻolālā Oott Hana Nui: Nā Hōkele he hana kupaianaha, kūlana ʻoi aku, ʻoihana kiʻekiʻe a hou loa. ʻO kēia hoʻolālā i lanakila i ka A' Design Award Kala he mea hoʻokumu kūpono loa, mahalo ʻia e hāʻawi i ka pōmaikaʻi a hoʻoneʻe i nā palena o ka hana noʻeau, ka ʻepekema, ka hoʻolālā a me ka ʻenehana. He mea i ʻeleu ʻia e nā mea he nui ka hoʻolālā Oott Hana Nui: Nā Hōkele e hoʻāla i ka makemake, lawe mai i nā manaʻo maikaʻi a hoʻāla i ka kamahaʻo a me ka mahalo.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: A hall nestled in the forest of Karuizawa, a renowned summer retreat. For ten years, the client, builder, and architect have continued developing the facility together, overcoming the pandemic and social change to create a contemporary Japanese architecture with enduring universality. Tents for guests with dogs, a dog school, and a grassy run are dispersed across the site, expanded step by step. Conceived for hospitality and sustainable community, the hall extends seamlessly into nature.
Dimensions & Packaging: Floor Area:129m²
Tags: Japan, Karuizawa, Japanese design, timber architecture, wooden structure, hotel, architecture, nature
Production Technology: All square timbers are unified to the standard Japanese size of 120×120 mm, while selected beams use 60×120 mm members hand-split by local carpenters, balancing structural logic with spatial richness. Though based on structural analysis, the joinery conceals its complexity. Developed amid rising material costs during the pandemic, the design balances quality and budget, minimizes concrete, and uses local carpentry with minimal metal fittings to reduce environmental impact.
Design Challenge: For a decade, the same client, builder, and architect worked together, building trust and creating a structure that embodies coexistence with nature. Amid rising material and labor costs during the pandemic, balancing design and budget was crucial. The plan secures needed area and generous volume while controlling cost. Timber was hand-crafted and assembled manually, concrete minimized, and local carpentry with few metal fittings reduced environmental impact.
Research: The design shows deep respect for material essence. Timber and minimal concrete are left exposed, creating refined architectural honesty. Visitors enter a bright space clad in hinoki cypress, continuous with grass and trees, honoring Japanese beauty. External insulation ensures comfort in harsh winters, while the exposed wooden frame expresses both structure and performance. Rooted in its locale, it embodies a Japanese aesthetic connected to the world.
Inspiration: The project shows deep respect for the delicate workings of nature, fostering empathy in its visitors. By placing nature at the center, it seeks harmony between people and environment. Built in timber, the space connects seamlessly with the surrounding landscape and remains committed to sustainability. Developed amid rising material costs during the pandemic, it balances design quality and budget through the use of standard materials and conventional methods, embodying coexistence with nature.
Project Duration: Completed in 2023, the project has received numerous awards both in Japan and internationally.
Operation Flow: The building serves as a lounge for guests and a dog training space on rainy days. When both sides are opened, the forest extends through the hall, and soft light enters from high windows between the three roofs, creating a transparent space rooted in Japanese sensibility. It connects visitors with local nature. Located among private villas, it also functions as a café and open community hub, fostering ties between travelers and residents.
Patents: OOTT, Toru Teraoka, 2023
Team Members: TORU TERAOKA
Image Credits: All photo : Photographer / Tatsuya Tabii