Yoshinogawa Valley Renovatio Aedificii Sedis Principalis ab Wataru Sato

Opus Yoshinogawa Valley Renovatio Aedificii Sedis Principalis a designatore Wataru Sato est victor maxime honoratus praemii praestigiosissimi 2026 Praemium A' Design Award Aeneum in Categoria Certaminis Architectura.

AesArchitectura· 2026

Yoshinogawa Valley Renovatio Aedificii Sedis Principalis

a Wataru Sato

Cliens: KITAOKA Group

Victor praemii Praemium A' Design Award Aeneum in Categoria Architectura

7,887

Victor Praemii Verificatus

Verifica Statum Praemii pro #175868

Visita Situm Vide apud A' Design Award Communicatum Insigne Praemii

Colores

Designum

De Yoshinogawa Valley Renovatio Aedificii Sedis Principalis

Hoc opus est renovatio aedificii officiorum praefabricati quadraginta annorum sine demolitione. Vacuum lineare quinquaginta metrorum in medio structurae exsistentis inseritur, ad axem orientis-occidentis fluminis Yoshino directum, aedificium in duas alas septentrionalem et meridianam reordinans. Vallis Fluminis Yoshino appellata, haec operatio spatialis spinam architecturae constituit. Lucernarium ad septentrionem versum lucem diurnam stabilem praebet, dum ventilatio passiva per differentias altitudinis et pressionis generatur. Aedificio reordinato, opus vitat divisionem valorum quos sustinet.

Agnitio

De Praemium A' Design Award Aeneum

Yoshinogawa Valley Renovatio Aedificii Sedis Principalis victor est Praemii A' Design Award Aeneum, honoris multum aestimati formis egregiis, creandi ingenio, sollertia et acumine insignibus dati. Victores Aenei opera perita et mire creandi sunt, quae experientiam, imaginationem et solertiam auctorum suorum confirmant. Exspectatur Yoshinogawa Valley Renovatio Aedificii Sedis Principalis rem multum aestimatam, admiratam et carissimam, notabiliter professionalem et novam fore. Haec forma Aeneo victa optimas consuetudines artis, scientiae, formandi rationis et technologiae amplectitur et in cura minutiarum excellit. Yoshinogawa Valley Renovatio Aedificii Sedis Principalis necessitates egregie explet, cupiditates tangit, sensus capit et curiositatem allicit.

Post Designum

Fasciculus Nuntii

Merita, sodales gregis et singula technica a designatore praebita.

Proprietates Singulares: Inspired by the Yoshinogawa River, the design translates the structure of a valley into architecture. By dividing the existing building into two volumes and inserting a linear void, a valley-like interior is created.
A 50-meter skylight brings daylight inside, while the void enables ventilation, greenery, and social interaction. This configuration integrates environmental elements into the workplace.
Through renovation, the design reinterprets an existing office and proposes a new spatial model.
Dimensiones et Involucrum: A valley-like void and continuous skylight are introduced at the center of a 50-meter prefabricated office building. The two-story void brings daylight to the ground floor and enhances natural ventilation.
A 7-meter Benjamin fig tree is placed at the center, visible from both levels. Planting along the void forms a layered green environment connected to the exterior.
Existing structure and finishes are retained, creating a composition where old and new materials coexist.
Notulae: Prefabricated office renovation, open lounge, atrium and skylight, regional architecture, nature-inspired workspace, Yoshino River
Technologia Productionis: The project renovates an existing prefabricated office building without demolition.
A central valley-like void integrates daylight, ventilation, and greenery. Continuous skylights provide stable north light, while passive ventilation is driven by height and pressure differences.
Spatial organization is redefined as an environmental system, reducing reliance on mechanical equipment. Existing structure and finishes are retained, forming a layered expression and a sustainable model for reuse.
Provocatio Designandi: The primary challenge was to renew the environmental and social value of a deteriorated prefabricated office without demolition or new construction.
Introducing a skylight and central void into an enclosed structure required coordination of structural, safety, and cost constraints.
Rather than relying on equipment, the design redefines spatial organization as an environmental system.
The project shows that architectural operations can generate new value within existing buildings.
Investigatio: This research examines how renovation can achieve environmental performance comparable to new construction.
A skylight and central void introduce daylight and passive ventilation, reducing reliance on mechanical systems.
Monitoring shows that artificial lighting is unnecessary during daytime and HVAC demand is reduced. Annual energy decreased by about 73,000 kWh, with savings of 65% in lighting and 30% in air conditioning.
The project presents a replicable model for sustainable renovation.
Inspiratio: The project draws inspiration from the Yoshinogawa River, known as the Mother River of Tokushima.
Rather than referencing its form directly, the design interprets the river as a spatial structure.
By inserting a linear void through the existing building, the architecture transforms the logic of a valley into an interior condition, bringing light, wind, and greenery deep into the space, while also inviting relationships among people, families, and the local community.
Duratio Operis: The project started in January 2023 in Miyoshi Town, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan, and was completed in August 2024.
Cursus Operationis: The building transforms a closed office into an open environment accessible to families and the local community.
The central valley acts as a social axis supporting movement, staying, and interaction. The ground floor serves as a shared space, while the upper floor provides flexible work areas.
Users are not assigned fixed workplaces but choose spaces as needed. Through everyday use, the project encourages informal encounters and redefines how work and social life coexist.
Agnitiones Imaginum: Image #1: Photographer Keita Yamamoto (Architectural Photography), Kitaoka Group Headquarters Renovation, 2024.
Image #2: Photographer Keita Yamamoto (Architectural Photography), Kitaoka Group Headquarters Renovation, 2024.
Image #3: Photographer Keita Yamamoto (Architectural Photography), Kitaoka Group Headquarters Renovation, 2024.
Image #4: Photographer Keita Yamamoto (Architectural Photography), Kitaoka Group Headquarters Renovation, 2024.
Image #5: Photographer Keita Yamamoto (Architectural Photography), Kitaoka Group Headquarters Renovation, 2024.