Exciting Highlights from the 15th Estina Garden Award Featuring Guest Speaker Yusei Miura

Overview of the Event

On March 24, 2026, Estina, a company based in Shinjuku, Tokyo, known for supporting exterior construction businesses nationwide, hosted an engaging online open conference featuring Yusei Miura, the president of Shinken Newspaper Company. This event saw active participation from over 120 attendees, including non-affiliated contractors. Simultaneously, the prestigious 15th Estina Garden Award took place, culminating in a vote to determine the best among 95 entries.

Open Conference: Insights into Industry Trends

The open conference, part of a collaborative seminar between Estina and Shinken Housing, featured an eye-opening presentation by Miura-san. He discussed the critical shift from a competitive mindset focused on comparisons to a more innovative approach centered on designated management. Miura highlighted the current challenges in the housing market, emphasizing that merely competing on building specifications advantageously favors large corporations. Instead, he suggested that contractors propose gardens and exterior designs from the outset, which helps them build unique value and avoid price-based competition against rivals. This open-format seminar allowed numerous entrepreneurs and practitioners to gain fresh perspectives on their strategies.

The 15th Estina Garden Award: Celebrating Top Designs

In the second part of the event, the 15th Estina Garden Award recognized excellence in design. This award stands out for evaluating designs based on two perspectives—public voting reflecting consumer preferences and professional insights from contractor owners, practitioners, and designers. This dual approach ensures a comprehensive assessment of both design aesthetics and user-focused proposals.

Award Features

- Entries: A total of 95 submissions, comprising 53 in the General category, 15 in the Garden category, and 27 in the Facade category.
- Selection Process: From December 25, 2025, to February 15, 2026, general public voting determined the top nine entries that advanced to the finals.
- Final Evaluation: The live conference saw these top entries presented to attendees, including Estina designers and industry professionals, culminating in the announcement of the winners on March 24.

Award Results

- Gold Award: "A Garden That Evolves With Time" (Estina Izumo, Arch USA, Miu Ueno)
- Silver Award: "The Dry Garden of Light and Shadow" (Estina Fuji, Nattoku Housing, Wataru Kawashima)
- Bronze Award: "A Garden With Landscapes That Define" (Estina Kyoto Ukyo, Atelier I-House, Takashi Kura)

Experiential Learning: On-Site Visits

To enhance the practical application of Miura's seminar insights, Estina plans to host a series of on-site visit seminars at companies exemplifying the integration of garden concepts with architecture. Participants can explore real-life implementations of strategies aimed at enhancing brand recognition and developing community ties, based on the “advantageous rule” framework proposed in the open conference.

Upcoming Visit Dates:

- May 12: Visit to Yoshinari Architects in Fukushima, featuring green retail opportunities and diversification strategies.
- May 19: Insight into Kinosaki Architects in Toyama, showcasing model establishments including the Green Goods Store "niwanoso" and Estina's services.
- May 29: Observation of Taniguchi Construction in Shiga, focusing on their sales strategy and engagement with community projects.

These workshops aim to provide contractors and designers with actionable insights to foster growth and customer engagement in their business.

Understanding Estina (ESTINA)

Estina is a network that supports various contractors and partner companies across Japan through design assistance for gardens and exteriors. Their mission is to bridge the gap between construction and landscaping, thereby enhancing the brand strength and procurement capabilities of contractors.

Village Strategy (Green Produce)

The Village Strategy aims to connect contractors with communities through the establishment of hubs like green retail stores and cafés. This initiative seeks to promote lifestyle enrichment, encouraging relationships that lead to more than mere price competition, eventually driving referrals and designations.