Silver Architecture, Building and Structure Design · 2026
PW Shonan Fujisawa Senior Residence
by Uds Ltd.
- A' Design Award 2026 Silver Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- CLIENT: UDS Ltd.
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 16,262
- Verification code A1D446B710 · Verify this award
About PW Shonan Fujisawa Senior Residence
PW Shonan Fujisawa is a senior residence designed for independent living in Fujisawa City, Japan. The complex includes an on-site clinic, adaptable care units and shared facilities. A low-rise shared building holds a lounge, cafe, bathing facilities, a restaurant and a library. Handrails integrated with half-walls, chairs that support easy sitting and standing, wheelchair-friendly tables and studied lighting plans provide safety and comfort. A public cafe, gym, plaza and garden face the street, making the residence a local meeting place.
PW Shonan Fujisawa Senior Residence by Daisuke Takamiya represents a distinguished contribution to contemporary residential architecture designed specifically for senior living, demonstrating how thoughtful design can elevate the experience of aging within a purpose-built environment that prioritizes connection to nature, community, and wellbeing. The work emerges from a tradition of resort-influenced residential architecture that has characterized coastal developments, yet transcends typical formulas through its sophisticated material palette, careful proportional relationships, and genuine integration of landscape as architectural partner rather than mere ornament. The building's tripartite vertical organization establishes clear functional zoning while maintaining visual cohesion: public and communal amenities occupy the transparent ground level, intermediate terraced spaces provide transitional indoor-outdoor experiences, and private residential units crown the composition with their distinctive repeated balcony rhythm. Technically, the work demonstrates accomplished handling of horizontal emphasis through extended roof planes, continuous balustrade lines, and graduated terrace setbacks that reduce perceived mass while maximizing natural light penetration and views. The chromatic restraint of the built forms, predominantly whites, grays, and natural timber tones, allows the verdant landscape to assume chromatic prominence, creating a dialogue between architectural permanence and botanical vitality. The inclusion of generous outdoor gathering spaces, marked by the welcoming presence of shade parasols, suggests a programming philosophy that values social connection and engagement with the natural environment as essential to senior wellbeing. One might observe how the palm trees, reaching toward the upper stories, serve both as climate-appropriate landscaping and as symbolic markers of a leisured, gracious lifestyle. The work invites consideration of how architecture might dignify the later chapters of human life through spaces that inspire, comfort, and connect residents to larger natural and social worlds.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Research focused on balancing functionality and design for independent senior living and engagement with the local community. Methods included site analysis and case studies, including some testing such as chair mock-ups for sitting, standing, and evaluating lighting plans to ensure balance between safety, comfort, and attractive lighting, among other tests. Data informed participatory, lighting, and furniture design. These efforts foster multigenerational engagement and local revitalization.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Site area: 18,536.77sqm
Total floor area: 45,345.44sqm - Tags
- senior, residence, residential, architecture, interior, landscape
- Production Technology
- The shared building features a beach-inspired lounge, cafe, and bathing facilities on the first floor, and a seaside villa-inspired restaurant and library on the third. Handrails integrated with half-walls, wheelchair-friendly tables, and modular public spaces ensure safety and accessibility without compromising design quality. Natural circulation paths and interior greenery connect residents with communal areas, balancing functionality and aesthetic appeal.
- Design Challenge
- Fujisawa SST faced challenges of low foot traffic and a lack of multi-generational interaction. Objective: To solve these local issues by designing a senior residence as a new community destination. We placed a public cafe, plaza, and garden along key circulation paths. This created a new hub for specific multi-generational activities, presenting a model where design successfully generates both community vibrancy and social interaction.
- Project Duration
- Construction Start: June 2021
Completion: June 2024
Open: October 2024
Location: Fujisawa City, Kanagawa, Japan - Operation Flow
- The low-rise shared building evokes a seaside estate, integrating landscaping and a curtain wall emphasizing horizontal lines, creating a sense of openness. Public cafe and a gym face the street, welcoming community interaction. Interior greenery brings the outdoors inside, generating signature scenes that combine comfort, aesthetics, and an outdoor feeling. Residents circulate through communal and private spaces, fostering social interaction, autonomy, and connection with the surroundings.
- Research
- Balancing senior safety with high-quality design was the central challenge. Lighting, handrails, chairs supporting easy sitting and standing, and accessible tables were designed. While conventional residences often sacrifice aesthetics for functionality, this project integrates both, achieving a five-star hotel-like quality. Attention to material selection, furniture, and interior landscaping further enhanced the residential experience while meeting all safety and accessibility standards.
- Inspiration
- Conventional senior homes often limit healthy, independent seniors to a life constrained by care needs, with few opportunities for social interaction or personal choice. This project was inspired by the desire to offer autonomy, social engagement, and personalized daily experiences later life, integrating an on-site clinic, adaptable care units, and diverse communal facilities. Public cafe, fitness areas, and parks further encourage multigenerational interaction and vibrant neighborhood life.
- Image Credits
- Image #1: Nacasa & Partners, 2024
Optional Image #1: Nacasa & Partners, 2024
Optional Image #2: Nacasa & Partners, 2024
Optional Image #3: Nacasa & Partners, 2024
Optional Image #4: Nacasa & Partners, 2024