Mitsubishi Jisho Design In-House Award 2024 Winners Announced!

[Best Work Award/Employee Choice Award]
Nikon Headquarters/Innovation Center

The building brings together headquarters functions and R&D departments, and also houses a museum. The project aimed to create a space where not only employees, but also local residents, related companies, and fans of the company's products could "discover, interact, and experience." Three office spaces, each approximately 150m x 16m, are sandwiched between two communication frames that combine a core with a lift function and various spaces, including a refreshment area, to foster interaction across floors. Furthermore, the horizontal eaves surrounding the building's perimeter allow for ductwork, resulting in a ductless office space. Zone-specific air conditioning control and a daylighting and lighting plan that utilizes the smooth surface of the PC floor slab as a reflector create a comfortable environment. As a designer, I am involved in a wide range of topics, from architecture and Landscape design to museums, showrooms, environmental video production, and dining operations, all of which contribute to the precise realization of a "place brimming with innovation."
The company was recognized for building a relationship of trust with its clients, carefully implementing a "process for creating good architecture," and achieving a high level of integration of design, structure, and facilities.

[Excellent Work Award/President's Award]
Front Place Chiyoda-Ichibancho

This project, with a medium-sized rental office building, responded to themes such as "the meaning of going to the office" and diversification of work styles and values that have come to be questioned in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The exterior, inspired by stacked stones, is composed of bay windows that can be adjusted in height from benches to counter desks. Rental office buildings generally require uniform space, but the different window treatments on each floor allow each tenant to use the space in a unique way, and by expressing this in the exterior, it increases the attachment to the office. In addition, the first floor is open to the local community with an open space facing the street, equipped with a cafe and benches, creating a connection between each tenant/worker and the town. In terms of facilities, the introduction of air-type radiant air conditioning that suppresses airflow and temperature unevenness, and lighting operation by DALI control and human motion sensors achieves a high level of both comfort and energy conservation ^*. This is a model case that shows what medium-sized rental office buildings should be like in the future.
The project was recognized for placing human activity at the heart of the design and pursuing a design that is open to the city, demonstrating a new perspective that goes beyond the framework of conventional rental office buildings.

* The first rental office building to receive WELL Core preliminary Platinum certification under the WELL V2 standard.

[Excellent Work Award]
The Hokkaido Shimbun Press Building

Located in the Sosei Higashi district, where Sapporo City is prioritizing urban development, the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper's headquarters building stands along Odori, known as Sapporo's main street. The space and flow of workers that encourage communication are called the "3C (Colorful / Connect /Collaboration) Zone," and it is positioned facing Odori. This zone brings together frequently used functions, such as vertical flow lines like stairs and elevators, as well as a multipurpose workspace for work and relaxation, a terrace, and a kitchen. This space also serves as a buffer zone for the main office space behind it, helping to reduce the environmental impact of the office space. facade, which displays the constantly changing activities required for the production and dissemination of information, resembles a newspaper page, and features a tower made of locally produced recycled bricks sprayed with chimneys and vertical flow lines, has created a mass media hub beloved by the local community.
The "3C Zone," which brings together activities unique to a newspaper company, was praised for its dual functions of expressing these activities to the city and forming a buffer zone between the company and the external environment, and for proposing a new building facade for cold regions.

[Excellent Work Award]
THE ROYAL PARK HOTEL Ginza 6-chome (Hulic Ginza 6-chome Showadori Building)

This is a new construction project for a 15-story, 273-room hotel along a major road in Ginza. From the perspective of ease of sales and uniformity and efficiency of service and operations, high uniformity in guest room design was required, and the uniform exterior was a characteristic of lodging-focused hotels. This project, which was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic, was a "questioning" of conventional wisdom, and attempted an approach not only from the perspective of operational efficiency but also from the perspective of the guest, working to propose new value for the new era. In order to maximize the opening area to attenuate road noise, the opening area of the windows was made larger on the upper floors, creating a change in the space of each guest room and expressing this in the exterior. It aims to diversify the accommodation experience and respond to the local context. This project will make a difference in the way this building type is perceived.
The project was recognized for focusing on windows not only as an element of the interior and exterior of a building, but also as an element that contributes to human behavior and the comfort of the internal environment, and for creating a new townscape through the pursuit of their design and form.

[Special Award]
Osaka Dojimahama Tower

Osaka Mitsubishi Building (completed in 1969), an office building that had long been a symbol of the region, was rebuilt to take advantage of its iconic location at the intersection of Midosuji, the hub of business and transportation, and the Dojima River, the hub of culture and administration, to create a large-scale complex with themes of promoting business, tourism, and local communities, as well as government and private sector interaction. The lower floors house high-performance offices, the upper floors house an international-standard hotel, and the middle floors house a tourist facility and observation terrace that combines semi-outdoor and indoor spaces to accommodate city PR and corporate events. By combining these functions that extend to the local community, the entire building was intended to be "a theater-like space where you can experience the charm of Osaka from the front row." The adjacent Dojima Park and tourist dock were also integrated, enhancing the symbolism of Osaka as a "water city," while contributing to the area's disaster prevention capabilities through its water infrastructure.
We were recognized for our ability to utilize our comprehensive capabilities to interpret the complexities of the special zone, combine multiple uses, and achieve a high level of energy planning that takes advantage of its characteristics and creates a rich spatial atmosphere.

[Related news release]

[Best Picture]
Douyin Group Chengdu （ByteDance Chengdu）

Tianfu New District in Chengdu, China, is home to a cluster of IT companies. We planned an office park that will be the last piece of the city along Tianfu Boulevard, the city axis. We aimed to open up offices, which tend to be closed off, to the local community, and to become a lively center that will lead the future of the area in harmony with the surrounding environment. The two new buildings, which are planned to be parallel to the existing low-rise buildings, have stepped heights to form a skyline along the city axis. The sky lobby on the third floor will connect the old and new buildings with a bridge, and will be a base for interaction with direct access to the hall and visitor center. On the standard floor, a space for meetings and communication will be set up between the cores on both ends of the floor, creating a space that allows for a variety of activities such as relaxation, discussion, and exercise, while providing a good balance between interaction and concentration. It is expected to become a place where the new generation can thrive.
In addition to winning the competition over European and American competitors, the company was recognized for creating a comfortable office environment that effectively utilizes relaxation spaces, including a sunken garden and social space.

[Best Picture]
SHIBUYA AXSH

This redevelopment project was planned for a site along Aoyama-dori, which connects Shibuya Station with the Aoyama area, where cultural and educational centers are concentrated. The project aims to connect the station, the town, and the area by creating a pedestrian network. The site has the potential to attract a diverse range of people, including office workers, students, and creators, but it is surrounded by major roads and has lost its accessibility to the surrounding area. Therefore, we developed the "urban core" (a vertical flow line that eliminates the valley topography of the area), which is the basic concept of the redevelopment of Shibuya Station, and installed an atrium in the center of the building with stairs, escalators, elevators, and places to sit down. We installed a bridge connecting the entrance to the surrounding decks and pedestrian bridges to draw in people, and created a flow line that expands in six directions while eliminating the difference in elevation, creating a network that seamlessly connects the area.
We were recognized for utilizing our comprehensive capabilities to interpret the complex conditions of the special zone and for creating a mechanism to attract people passing through the area while harmonizing with the surrounding environment.

[Best Picture]
PREMIST NANPEIDAI

This project is a new construction project for a 22-unit apartment complex in a quiet, lush area long known as the residential district of important figures in politics and business. As people spend more time at home in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as work and lifestyles rapidly change, the project explored how wealthy housing should respond to and evolve to address these common social challenges. Traditionally, wealthy housing has been separated from the community due to an emphasis on privacy, making it difficult to see it as a "shared asset." In contrast, this project sought to delineate the boundary between public and private like a thin membrane by using a single pane of glass as facade, reflecting the green spaces on and around the site and the surrounding area. Based on a meticulous analysis of the neighborhood, the on-site green space is connected to the surrounding green space, controlling the line of sight through its shading and distance, resulting in a living space that combines a high degree of freedom and openness.
The designers' accumulated knowledge and insight into apartment complex design was fully demonstrated, and they were praised for their pursuit of both an open facade and privacy, with a focus on windows.

[Best Environment/Technology Award]
Hamamatsucho Exage Building Renovation Project

Tenant office building located in the city center (designed by another company, 2001 (Completed in 2013) renovation plan. 100 In response to the desire of the business operator to realize a "building that will last for 20 years," we have been providing comprehensive renovation plans for the interior of the common areas and disaster preparedness services. 72 New emergency generator equipment and oil tanks will enable 24-hour operation. BCP In addition to strengthening measures, ZEB We made proposals from a long-term perspective, taking advantage of our know-how in energy conservation. We analyzed the current energy consumption record, created various energy reduction menus, and considered the business costs and specifications of the equipment to be introduced from the early stages of the plan. ZEB As a result of proceeding with the design while understanding and sharing the "standards being met," 10,000 This is rare in the renovation of existing buildings of over 200 square meters. ZEB Oriented In recent years, we have been working on the entire life cycle of buildings, from material procurement to construction, operation and demolition. CO2 Attention is being drawn to "whole life carbon," which indicates the amount of emissions. 100 Rather than continuing to use it for a year, CO ₂ Emissions of approximately 20 It was confirmed that a reduction of % was possible.
The project was highly praised for its significance in taking on the challenging theme of "ZEB Renovation of a large-scale building" and for demonstrating our technological capabilities to society.

[Special Award]
Initiatives to promote ZEB using BIM and energy-saving calculation assistance tools

As the global movement towards carbon neutrality accelerates, the construction industry has also set targets of achieving ZEB standards for new buildings by 2030 and ZEB standards for the average of existing stock by 2050. Despite this high social need, the energy-saving calculations required for considering ZEB and obtaining certification are time-consuming tasks such as organizing building information and inputting various data, which is an issue. Therefore, BIM is being used to handle this information and efficiency is being promoted by linking it with various tools. In a model project, it was possible to halve the time required for calculations. The use of BIM is expected to improve work efficiency even in new construction projects where building information is prone to change, and will also lead to more advanced energy-saving considerations at the early stages of design.
As part of our efforts to "create tools for design," we were recognized for our thorough efforts to simplify the system so that anyone can use it. Currently, we are promoting the introduction of BIM, and this initiative will help to popularize it.

[Environmental and Technical Award]
Composite floor system that realizes an integrated work space that prioritizes the environment (Nikon Headquarters/Innovation Center)

As the head office facility of the company, which started as an optical company, we developed structural components to realize the distinctive use of "light" including daylight utilization and lighting plans. In conjunction with the ductless ceiling, it became possible to simply construct a 14.5m deep ribbed PC floor slab, and for the first time in Japan, we adopted a composite slab consisting of a series of components: a PC slab with a truss-shaped flat bar embedded in it (= lower chord), an angle iron connected to the flat bar, and topping concrete (= upper chord). The PC ends exposed around the windows are gently curved in a three-dimensional shape, creating a system that effectively introduces external light into the column-free indoor space. At the same time, the voids between the PC slab and the topping concrete are used as return air and smoke exhaust routes. Line lighting is installed in the installation clearance.
The project was evaluated for utilizing the technical capabilities unique to an architectural firm to integrate design, structure, and facilities to create a comfortable space, and for clearly expressing the relationship between them.

[Related content here]

[Consulting Award]
NAGASAKI STADIUM CITY PROJECT

This is a stadium and arena complex construction project that aims to be a "role model for private-sector-led regional revitalization." We were in charge of the commercial for the main facility and related construction work to ensure business viability while maximizing the appeal of the facility. In response to the client's request to "conduct parallel considerations of business viability and construction plans," we built a cross-sectional platform that enabled decision-making with various stakeholders. We responded by exploring the feasibility of the project and resolving each issue. In addition to planning the schedule and construction process for the opening, we shortened the overall construction period by about one month by adjusting the construction sections. We achieved the target cost by centralizing cost management and mitigating the impact of price increases through the conclusion of price increases rules. The concourse and stadium seats are open on a daily basis, creating a familiar facility where local people can gather.

[Project Management Award]
Harumi 5-chome West District Type 1 Urban Redevelopment Project, Block 5-5, Buildings A to F, design development and Construction Supervision

​The HARUMI FLAG development project will see the site temporarily used as the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Village after completion, before being redeveloped into condominiums and other housing. Our company was responsible for architectural design and construction supervision of six of the 21 residential buildings. In order to create a unified urban landscape, we worked with different designers and architects on facade and exteriors of each block, adjusting them repeatedly. Even with construction suspended due to the postponement of the Games, we conducted various discussions with relevant parties to ensure the project could be restarted as quickly as society recovered. Through meticulous design and construction planning, we were able to realize an unprecedented project in which each residence Renovation from "athletes' village specifications" to "residential specifications" after the Games ended, prior to being sold. Construction of the new tower building, overseen by our company, is currently underway. The complex is scheduled to fully open in September​ ​2025.

[Project Management Award]
EIGHT CHORD HAKATA EKIMAE BUILDING (New Building)

architectural design and construction supervision project for a mid-sized office building for tenants near Hakata Station. The north side features an open glass curtain wall with framed edges, while the south side features waist-high walls and horizontally connected windows to reduce environmental impact and match the surrounding neighborhood. Utilizing the local network we have built up to date, we formulated an appropriate budget and implemented Cost Management "foresees the future" based on meticulous information gathering, including constant interviews with contractors. As a result, we decided to make the building ZEB midway through construction, and despite social conditions such as construction extensions and rising prices when making various design changes, we were able to achieve a ZEB Ready-certified building within the client's expected budget. This project achieved full occupancy early on and earned the client a high level of satisfaction.

[Project Management Award]
Construction Management for “YOKOHAMA SYMPHOSTAGE”

Yokohama Symphostage is a large-scale complex consisting of offices, a hotel, retail stores, and more, developed by a consortium of five private developers. It is a compartmentalized building with a complex structure, with different owners and project stakeholders for each exclusive area. Our firm provided management support for the project's progress over a period of approximately five years, from schematic design stage through to the construction stage. By receiving impartial and fair opinions from each of the five companies and thoroughly compiling information from various subcommittees, we contributed to the formulation of an architectural plan that reflected all diverse requests. Additionally, we were solely responsible for complex cost management, carefully coordinating VE and CCD for each section. All companies achieved their goal of completing construction within the project budget, with high satisfaction.

[Achievement Award]
A series of projects related to urban planning proposals for the Ikebukuro Station West Exit area

We have been consulting for Redevelopment Preparatory Association and Tobu Railway in this area for approximately 10 years. Aiming to develop a walkable station area through collaboration between architecture and urban infrastructure, we proposed an architectural plan that would reorganize the station area's infrastructure, including a transportation plaza, while also utilizing the Tobu Railway station's functions. As the preparatory association and Tobu Railway worked together to propose an urban plan, we incorporated the two projects into a single plan, taking into account the aspirations of both parties. To achieve this, we proposed a total of 16 urban plans, including a special urban regeneration district, roads, and parks. Currently, we are working on the development of a station-town hub space that will become the new face of the city, and on the creation of spaces linked to the "Ikebukuro Nishiguchi Park GLOBAL RING" (designed by our company in 2019), while also continuing to work on the formation of an area management organization.

[Achievement Award]
Singapore National Project: Top 3 Winners in NSC Competition and Future Outlook

​The North South Corridor (NSC), a major road that runs north-south through Singapore, is currently being undergrounded and elevated. In 2023-2024, an international competition was held to convert the surface streets of the NSC into a corridor to serve not only the motorists, but also one that supports walking, cycling, and use of public transport, and is lined with public spaces and greenery. The NSC attracted attention as a place to propose a master plan for one of the world's leading urban pedestrian spaces. Mitsubishi Jisho Design Asia (based in Singapore) and Mitsubishi Jisho Design formed an international team with companies from Japan and overseas to take on the challenge. They proposed a community created by a succession of green spaces and semi-outdoor spaces, sublimating the know-how they had built up in Marunouchi in the local context. Although they came top 3, they were highly evaluated, and gained a solid foothold in international, national-scale design competitions.

[Project explanation page is here]

[+EMOTION Award]
SAKA Museum

An art museum located in Bali, Indonesia. It aims to be more than just a tourist spot; it is a place where visitors can appreciate and experience the rich art, religion, and culture of the region in a space that is in harmony with the abundant nature. The design concept is "A Moon on Water," and the museum is designed to resemble a crescent moon floating on a basin of water, at the end of a walk through a vast forest. Approached via a gentle slope, it is a facility where visitors can experience the rich surrounding environment and traditional art as one.

[Related news release here]

[+EMOTION Award]
Harumi 3-chome Project

The planned redevelopment site is at the intersection of axes connecting central Tokyo areas such as Tsukiji and Ginza with the waterfront area. Certified as a single housing complex, the office and hotel are arranged in separate buildings, and a green space connecting with the adjacent Reimeibashi Park is being developed in front of the site. At the same time, a deck is being used to connect the site to Harumi Third Park opposite, creating a multi-level pedestrian network with the aim of creating an appearance that is rooted in the local community. The design of the two buildings was inspired by the natural phenomenon known as "ship wakes," creating facade befitting the gateway to the Harumi area.

[+EMOTION Award]
Shin-Aoyama Building Renovation

Our Company ^* Under design 1978 This project was completed in 2010 and is an update to a core facility in the area, with an underground station for three subway lines and a complex of offices, restaurants, and retail spaces. In addition to introducing a new shared lounge for building employees, we also redesigned the common areas on the lower and upper floors, the courtyard plaza, and the underground shopping mall. By reading the distinctive context from the designs of previous architects and creatively intervening in this as the "style" of the building, we attempted to collaborate with history and devised a renovation that connects the architecture to the future.

* At that time, Mitsubishi Estate

[+EMOTION Award]
Digital Arts College Sendai New Campus

This was a design project for a 10-story school building with the theme of "creating a place for next-generation digital education." In order to accommodate a variety of learning styles, a large LED screen was installed in the entrance hall and interactive projection mapping was introduced. The open space created by the setback of the building is designed to be able to use both indoors and outdoors, and aims to bring student activities out into the community and to create a space that harmonizes with the tree-lined streets, symbolizing Sendai, the "City of Trees."

[+EMOTION Award]
Nikon Headquarters/Innovation Center Project Management

After a competitive competition, we were selected as architectural design and construction supervision for this project, and our extensive track record in building headquarters buildings was highly rated, leading us to take on the project management duties. We established a system in which the project manager could provide all solutions related to this plan in one place, and provided comprehensive management, including issue organization, decision-making support, and schedule management support for not only the new building construction but also various related construction works (FF&E, museum, dining, video content, etc.), contributing to the opening of the hotel on budget and at the desired time.

[+EMOTION Award]
Promoting "MEP Engineering Discuss: Environmental and Facility Ideas Notebook"

This is a column project led by our MEP Engineering that has been running on our website since 2022. It was started with the desire to "communicate the fun and appeal of MEP Engineering to students and other people outside the company." From large-scale redevelopment projects to individual buildings, our designers personally interpret each of our wide-ranging projects as "facility initiatives." It introduces new ways of interpreting architecture, such as the way of thinking, the ingenuity behind them, and the collaboration between professional functions. Please take a look.

[Website here]

[+EMOTION Award]
The Warp: Regenerative Wood Design Series

This wooden 3D printed teahouse pavilion combines traditional Japanese woodworking techniques with cutting-edge 3D printing technology, and was created as an exhibit for Dubai Design Week 2024. It is made up of approximately 900 panels made from recycled wood powder produced during wood processing, and can be joined by hand without the use of nails or metal fittings. Each component was airlifted to Dubai in a standard parcel and assembled and disassembled on-site in a short period of time. It is one of the efforts aimed at realizing a sustainable circular economy.

[Related news release here]

[+EMOTION Award]
Presentation practice using AI in the initial stage and development of an AI platform

Mitsubishi Jisho Design Asia established the "AI Research Workshop" in 2024. It trialed the introduction of image, audio, and video generation AI into the initial proposals for multiple projects, and also established AI guidelines and a style library. It created a system that enables anyone to create and share appropriate deliverables of the same quality, tailored to the nature and stage of the project. This has contributed to improved communication, including accelerating policy discussions with clients and communicating on an image-based basis.

[+EMOTION Award]
2024 8th Floor Office Neighborhood Association Activities

At our head office, an employee organization called the "Office Community Association" is active on each floor with the aim of improving the working environment. In particular, on the 8th floor, where many internal and external parties come and go, the installation of fixtures was completed by last year, but operational issues remained. Therefore, this year, we organized information about the office environment and implemented a trial introduction of group addresses, which has achieved great results in beautifying the office and improving work efficiency.