Higeta Building Wins Gold A' Design Award

Higeta Building by Nobuaki Miyashita has won a Gold A' Design Award in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category. The Nihonbashi headquarters in Tokyo is recognized for turning a 1697 wheat innovation into a louvered facade that improves shading, privacy, daylight, and ventilation.

Why it matters: - The Gold A' Design Award puts Higeta Building among a select group of architecture projects recognized for both cultural meaning and technical performance. - The award spotlights how heritage can be translated into measurable building benefits such as shading, privacy, ventilation, and daylight use. - For Nihonbashi, the project also strengthens streetscape identity while improving comfort for occupants and nearby residents.

What happened: - The A' Design Award named Higeta Building by Nobuaki Miyashita a Gold winner in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design category. - The recognition was announced Sept. 3, 2026. - The project is the seven-story headquarters for Higeta Shoyu Co., Ltd. in Nihonbashi, Tokyo. - Higeta Shoyu is a long-established soy sauce maker founded in 1616.

The details: - The building uses anodized aluminum louvers to form a performative facade. - Each louver measures 50 millimeters in face, 170 millimeters in depth, and 3,935 millimeters in height. - The louvers are spaced at a 300 millimeter pitch and set at varied angles. - The facade reduces southwest sun exposure and protects privacy for adjacent housing. - The louver pattern evokes a wheat field in motion, referencing Higeta's 1697 introduction of wheat into koikuchi soy sauce. - Deep black elastic spray-coated walls recall the richness of fermentation and sharpen the contrast of light and shadow. - A central light court brings daylight into the narrow plan. - The light court also supports seasonal ventilation and reduces reliance on artificial lighting. - The project was designed by Mr Studio, a Japan-based architectural firm. - More information is available on the award page.

Between the lines: - The recognition suggests architecture juries are rewarding projects that turn brand history into building performance, not just visual symbolism. - The design also reflects a broader industry push toward daylight optimization, energy efficiency, and contextual urban design. - For Mr Studio, the award may reinforce a site-specific approach that ties geometry and environmental function to each project’s local history.

What's next: - Mr Studio is likely to point to the Higeta Building as a reference for future culturally grounded, performance-driven work. - The award gives Higeta Shoyu a higher-profile example of how its heritage can live in contemporary architecture. - The project may also serve as a model for other firms balancing identity, comfort, and sustainability in dense urban settings.