Echoes Shinmachi Primary Function: Moaho oa Tšebeliso e Kopanetsoeng by Hyunsoon Park is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Moputso oa Silevera oa A' Design Award in Moralo wa Meaho, Dikaho le Dibopego Competition Category.
SileveraMeaho· 2026
Echoes Shinmachi Primary Function: Moaho oa Tšebeliso e Kopanetsoeng
Client: Kosugi Real Estate Co., Ltd.
Moputso oa Silevera oa A' Design Award Winner in Meaho Category
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- Verified Award Winner
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The Design
About Echoes Shinmachi Primary Function: Moaho oa Tšebeliso e Kopanetsoeng
Book Text: Echoes Shinmachi ke moaho oa tšebeliso e kopanetsoeng o Kumamoto o hlalosang moetlo bocha ka boqapi ba mehleng ena. Moralo o kopanya konkreite e matlafalitsoeng bakeng sa botšepehi le mapolanka a lifate bakeng sa boima bo bobebe, ho theha tekano lipakeng tsa matla le boqekethehi. Mosebetsi oa litene tse chesitsoeng moo, o behiloeng ke litsebi tse nang le bokgoni, o bontša lefa la setso ha o ntse o netefatsa ho mamella. Mokato o mong le o mong o kenyelletsa literesi tse pela noka tse khothalletsang ho kopanela ha nako le bophelo ba sechaba. Ka sebopeho sa oona se kopanetsoeng, phapang ea thepa, le ho kopanya mekhoa e tšepahalang, morero ona o eme e le letšoao la sejoale-joale le hokahanyang histori.
The Recognition
About the Moputso oa Silevera oa A' Design Award
Echoes Shinmachi Primary Function: Moaho oa Tšebeliso e Kopanetsoeng ke mohapi oa Moputso oa Silevera oa A' Design Award, kananelo e hlomphehang haholo e fuoang meralo e phahameng ka ho fetesisa, e ntle le e tsosang maikutlo. Bahapi ba Silevera ke mesebetsi e khanyang haholo le e nang le boqapi bo ikhethang e bontšang botsebi, talenta le bohlale ba baqapi ba eona. Echoes Shinmachi Primary Function: Moaho oa Tšebeliso e Kopanetsoeng e lebelletsoe ho ba mosebetsi o motle, oa mohlala, o nang le boprofeshenale bo bonahalang le mehopolo e mecha e tebileng. Moralo ona o hapileng Moputso oa Silevera oa A' Design Award ke mohopolo o hlokomelehang haholo le o ratoang o tlisang molemo mme o sutumelletsang meeli ea bonono, mahlale, moralo le theknoloji. Echoes Shinmachi Primary Function: Moaho oa Tšebeliso e Kopanetsoeng ke mosebetsi oo batho ba bangata ba o lakatsang, o tsosang litakatso, o tlisang maikutlo a matle le o tsosetsang ho makala le ho hlolla.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- Echoes Shinmachi is a mixed-use building in Kumamoto that reinterprets tradition through innovation. The design integrates reinforced concrete for permanence and timber for lightness, combining strength with refinement. Locally crafted brickwork connects to cultural heritage, while riverside terraces on every floor invite community interaction. Its hybrid structure, material contrast, and sustainable balance of durability and renewal distinguish it as a contemporary landmark that embodies both resilience and continuity.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Structure: Reinforced concrete and timber hybrid. Floors: B1 plus 2F. Site area: 188.17 sq.m. Building footprint: 126.09 sq.m. Total floor area: 253.63 sq.m. Roof: fluoropolymer-coated aluminum-zinc alloy steel sheet. Exterior walls: brick, exposed reinforced concrete (RC). Interior finishes: brick flooring, brick ceiling. Design period: Sept 2022 to July 2023. Construction period: Apr 2024 to Mar 2025.
- Tags
- Mixed Use Building, Hybrid Structure, Reinforced Concrete and Timber, Brick Facade, Riverside Architecture, Sustainable Design, Community Space, Kumamoto, Contemporary Japanese Architecture, Cultural Heritage
- Production Technology
- Echoes Shinmachi employs a hybrid structural system combining reinforced concrete for the basement and first floor with timber construction on the upper floor. Locally fired brick was laid by skilled craftsmen to achieve durability and warmth, while large glazed openings and cantilevered terraces required advanced structural detailing. A sustainable balance was pursued by integrating long-lasting concrete and renewable timber, ensuring resilience, cultural continuity, and a forward-looking architectural identity.
- Design Challenge
- The greatest challenge was reconciling historical continuity with modern requirements. The project had to respect Kumamoto's heritage while introducing new forms of mixed-use architecture. Externally, strict building codes and structural demands for cantilevered terraces required advanced engineering solutions. Internally, balancing durability with renewal through reinforced concrete (RC) and timber integration was complex. Overcoming these obstacles created a design rooted in tradition yet adaptable for the future.
- Research
- Type of research: architectural and cultural investigation. Objective: to integrate Kumamoto's historic riverside townscape with contemporary needs. Methodology: site surveys, archival research, and structural prototyping. Data collection: mapping riverfront use and studying traditional brickwork. Participants: local craftsmen, engineers, and community interviews. Results: a hybrid reinforced concrete (RC)-timber system and river terraces. Insights: architecture can connect heritage, sustainability, and community resilience.
- Inspiration
- The inspiration for Echoes Shinmachi came from Kumamoto's historic riverside townscape and the desire to bridge tradition with contemporary life. Motivated by the memory of the city and the resilience of its people, the project reinterprets local materials and craftsmanship through modern construction. Research into hybrid structures and cultural continuity guided the design, creating a building rooted in heritage yet open to the future.
- Project Duration
- The project started in September 2022 in Kumamoto, Japan, and the design phase was completed in July 2023. Construction commenced in April 2024 and is scheduled to be completed by March 2025. Echoes Shinmachi is located along the Tsuboigawa River in the historic Shinmachi district of Kumamoto.
- Operation Flow
- Visitors experience Echoes Shinmachi through a gradual sequence of spaces. From the riverside steps, one descends into a quiet public basement with views of the flowing water. The ground floor opens to the city as retail space, encouraging everyday interaction. On the second floor, offices extend toward the river with terraces that invite gatherings and seasonal discovery. The building performs better by linking city, community, and nature in a continuous flow.
- Patents
- Copyrights belong to Hyunsoon PARK / LaundryRice Architects, 2025.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Photographer Harunori NODA (Architectural Photographer) Ganko-sha, Echoes Shinmachi, 2025.
Image #2: Photographer Harunori NODA (Architectural Photographer) Ganko-sha, Echoes Shinmachi, 2025.
Image #3: Photographer Harunori NODA (Architectural Photographer) Ganko-sha, Echoes Shinmachi, 2025.
Image #4: Photographer Harunori NODA (Architectural Photographer) Ganko-sha, Echoes Shinmachi, 2025.
Image #5: Photographer Harunori NODA (Architectural Photographer) Ganko-sha, Echoes Shinmachi, 2025.
IP / COPYRIGHT / IMAGE / SOUND / VIDEO CREDITS: Photos © Harunori NODA, Architecture © Hyunsoon PARK / LaundryRice Architects
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