“Den-paku The Beachfront MIJORA”, an accommodation facility designed by Yasuhiro Yamashita and his architectural design office Atelier Tekuto (Shibuya, Tokyo), has been awarded the Good Design Gold Award (Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award) for 2021 by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion.This is the first gold award for Amami Oshima, and the award was given in recognition of the quality of the design of the accommodation facilities, the activities of the architects themselves to solve the local problems of Amami Oshima from various perspectives and to achieve sustainable management of the island, and the presentation of a new way of working. With this award, we will take the opportunity to expand the brand recognition of “Den-paku” and return the profits to the local community in order to realize “a society where no one is left behind.
“Den-paku” is a lodging facility that Yasuhiro Yamashita is working on in the Amami Islands to pass on traditional and legendary architecture, villages and culture to the next generation. For more information, please refer to “What is Den-paku” below.
Yasuhiro Yamashita, President of our company, comments on the award.
I am very grateful for being selected for the Good Design Gold Award for 2021. I am also very happy that this project has been recognized not only for its architecture but also for its community development. Amami Oshima Island was recognized as a World Natural Heritage Site this year, but more than that, it is a region characterized by the fact that each small village has its own culture and traditions for hundreds of years. I would like to continue to do my small part to support the preservation of this unique village culture.
The following is an excerpt of evaluation comments by the Good Design Award judges.
A plan for a decentralized accommodation facility on Amami Oshima Island. The purpose of the project is to solve various problems inherent in the island such as lack of nursing care, care for the handicapped and few job opportunities, and to make the island a sustainable and rich living area. The facilities consist of newly built villas on the beachfront, an inn renovated from an existing old house on the island, and a center facility renovated from a former supermarket building. The guests of the facilities selected for judging will not only stay in the facilities, but will also be able to walk around in the relaxed daily life unique to Amami Oshima and interact with the islanders, making the experience itself a pleasure of travel. All of the facilities are well designed and highly evaluated as they present a new way of profession in which the architects themselves are responsible for the sustainable management of the island.
Facility Name：Den-paku The Beachfront MIJORA(WEB:https://den-paku.com/the-beachfront-mijora/ ）
Facility Overview：
Den-paku The Beachfront MIJORA is a luxury villa resort facility located on Amami Oshima Island, a World Natural Heritage Site blessed with lush forests and beautiful seas. Based on the concept of “interacting with the nature of the island”, the resort offers a relaxing stay experience that allows guests to forget the hustle and bustle of everyday life and relax their minds through the great nature that spreads out through the glass walls.
Architect: Yasuhiro Yamashita x (Atelier Tekuto + Amami Design Group)
The following is the introduction page on the Good Design Award website.
https://www.g-mark.org/award/describe/52624?token=hDBFO59mIh
What is Den-paku?
Den-paku is a community development project that promotes interaction between tourists and local residents by operating three types of lodging facilities: “Den-paku Old House”, “Den-paku Amami Hotel”, “Den-paku The Beachfront MIJORA”, and the complex “Ma-Gun Plaza”.
Amami Oshima Island has nurtured a rich natural environment and ecosystem, and in 2021 it was registered as a World Natural Heritage site. In the same way, about 360 village cultures have been inherited for hundreds of years through the course of various histories, and the “shima” (villages) are Amami’s precious cultural resources that it boasts to the world. Den-paku considers them as “treasures of Amami” and started “Den-paku” in 2016 with the desire to protect and pass them on to the future.
What is the Good Design Award?
The Good Design Award is an evaluation and promotion activity of Japan’s representative design, succeeding the Good Design Product Selection System established in 1957. As a global design award with the participation of many companies and organizations in Japan and abroad, the Good Design Awards are held annually with the aim of improving the quality of life and utilizing design to solve social issues and themes.
The “G Mark,” the symbol of the Good Design Award, is widely known as a symbol of excellent design.
https://www.g-mark.org
