Press Release
Lake Sense Villa by If Design Is Granted the Silver A' Design Award in Interior Space and Exhibition Design
If Design acknowledged for interior space and exhibition design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 19, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Lake Sense Villa by If Design has been granted the Silver A' Design Award in the Interior Space and Exhibition Design category. The award was conferred within 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 evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the Silver A' Design Award
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.
More About Lake Sense Villa
Lake Sense is the interior design of a low density stacked villa of 515 square meters, located beside a lake in Wuhan, China. A private courtyard of about 200 square meters extends the living areas outdoors. Engineered light wells bring daylight into the underground level. Floor to ceiling glazing links the interior with the courtyard and the lake view. Stainless steel, marble, wood veneer and textured paint form layered surfaces. The plan draws on traditional courtyard living and supports both family life and social gatherings.
About If Design
IF.DESIGN adheres to the core concept of "Aesthetics, Life, Rebirth" and continuously explores cross-boundary possibilities to maintain the forward-looking and innovative nature of its designs. Valuing customer characteristics and cultural diversity, the firm infuses unwavering progressive energy into the pursuit of a better life. With profound experience and insights in interior design, IF.DESIGN has collaborated with well-known domestic developers, leveraging its keen design sensibility to explore the inherent aesthetics of things.
Award Record
With this recognition, If Design is a winner of 2 A' Design Awards. All of the awards belong to the 2025 - 2026 edition of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Interior Space, Retail and Exhibition Design Award
The A' Interior Design Award is an international interior design competition recognizing good interior designs by interior designers and architects worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to interior designers, interior architects, architects and decorators from all countries. Entries typically include residential interiors, restaurants, hotels, offices, galleries and retail stores. Awarded interior designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/interior
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/181526
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/181526
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!181526
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/379593
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
- Lake Sense Villa
- Function
- Villa
- Category
- Interior Space and Exhibition Design
- Discipline
- Spatial Design
- Industry
- Architecture and Packaging & Retail
- Colors
- Dark Slate Gray, Dim Gray, Dark Olive Green, Black and Gray
- Images
- 5
The Recognition
- Laureate
- If Design
- Country
- China
- Recognition
- Silver A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #181526
Credits
- Image Credits
- Photographer Chuyituzi, One Thousand Degrees Image, Lake Sense, 2026.
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- This 515 square meters low density stacked villa redefines urban lakeside living by integrating Oriental cultural aesthetics with modern metropolitan functionality. Through light wells, a 200 square meters private courtyard, and seamless indoor outdoor transitions, the design resolves underground lighting constraints while balancing luxury and intimacy. Material contrasts and multi dimensional spatial scenarios establish a refined yet experiential residential paradigm.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by Wuhan's dual identity as the cradle of Chu Culture and a modern industrial hub, the design draws from the Yangtze Han river ecology and South Lake's tranquil scenery. The philosophy of "Oriental Seclusion, Future Elegance" merges traditional courtyard living with contemporary lifestyles. Cultural heritage, natural rhythm, and metropolitan vitality collectively informed the spatial narrative and aesthetic direction.
- Research
- This project is based on applied spatial-cultural research exploring how Oriental courtyard living can adapt to contemporary urban villas. Through site analysis, daylight simulation, and lifestyle mapping, the design examined lighting efficiency and functional adaptability. Findings show that integrating light wells with cultural spatial strategies significantly improves underground usability and residential comfort, offering a sustainable model for high-end urban housing.
- Challenge
- The main challenge was resolving insufficient underground lighting while maintaining luxury and spatial intimacy. Cultural interpretation without superficial replication required careful balance between tradition and modernity. Structural constraints and urban density limited spatial expansion. Through light well systems, glazing strategies, and refined material layering, the project successfully unified nature, culture, and contemporary residential performance.
- Realization and Technology
- The project employs stainless steel, brown wood veneer, beige textured paint, marble, and metal to construct layered tactility. Light well engineering introduces vertical daylight penetration to underground spaces. Custom-built storage systems, integrated wine cabinets, aromatherapy systems, and intelligent lighting control enhance spatial efficiency and user experience. Precision detailing ensures material durability and long term structural performance.
- Operation and Interaction
- The spatial flow transitions naturally from public to private zones. The integrated living dining area supports both daily family use and social gatherings. Light wells bring daylight into the underground level, enhancing comfort. Floor to ceiling windows connect the courtyard and lake views to interior spaces, allowing residents to experience seasonal changes, light variation, and spatial transformation in everyday living.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in April 2025 and finished in January 2026 in China.
- Specifications
- Total Area: 515 square meters Private Courtyard: approx. 200 square meters Typology: Low density stacked villa with underground level Key Features: Light well daylight system, large scale floor to ceiling glazing, hollow wall detailing, integrated storage systems, intelligent lighting control, aromatherapy system Primary Materials: Stainless steel, marble, metal, wood veneer, textured paint
- Keywords
- Lakeside Residence, Oriental Aesthetics, Light Well Design, Low Density Villa, Indoor-Outdoor Integration, Cultural Contextualism, Luxury Residential Design, Courtyard Living, Contemporary Minimalism
