ASCOT Corporation Wins Recognition at the 2025 Good Design Awards

ASCOT Corporation, headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo and led by President Takaaki Nakabayashi, has proudly announced that two of its properties, ASTILE Hiroo and AUSPICE Fukuoka Tenjin, received accolades at the 2025 Good Design Awards. This marks the 18th and 19th awards earned by ASCOT, showcasing their commitment to excellence in design.

The Good Design Awards, hosted by the Japan Design Promotion Organization, celebrate designs that enhance our lives and society. The awards recognize quality in design, taking into account the significant impact of structures crafted to serve various ideals and purposes.

Overview of Awarded Projects

ASTILE Hiroo

ASTILE Hiroo is a rental residential complex consisting of 19 units, positioned strategically between the tranquil residential area of Hiroo and the bustling commercial office district of Ebisu. Its unique form and layout are not merely aesthetic choices; they thoughtfully address the quality of living amidst a high-density urban environment. The design carefully considers the site characteristics, crafting a harmonious relationship with the surroundings while maintaining profitability and spatial efficiency.

The architecture employs a staggered arrangement to maximize volume without feeling oppressive, ensuring a design that harmonizes with the street's aesthetic. This configuration creates small gardens around the building, allowing ample natural light, airflow, and greenery, contributing to a pleasant living atmosphere. Each unit features distinct openings and views, offering residents a comfortable and varied living experience.

The ground-level apartment offers a unique SOHO (small office/home office) layout, allowing direct access from the street. Given the ongoing changes in urban living styles post-COVID, this design aims to foster new interactions within the community.

Jury Comments

The jury praised the design for achieving meaningful spaces and openness by strategically placing the building. The flexible use of SOHO units is anticipated to enhance harmony with the surrounding environment. The terrace design includes variations in vertical slat configurations which provide diverse perspectives and enhance the overall aesthetic impact.

AUSPICE Fukuoka Tenjin

AUSPICE Fukuoka Tenjin is a mid-sized office building situated in the heart of Fukuoka’s Tenjin district, standing ten stories tall. This project presents an alternative to the high-end features typical of Class S and A office buildings, showcasing how comfortable and high-performing office spaces can be achieved without reliance on luxurious amenities. It successfully creates new environmental value specific to mid-sized office buildings and has also been awarded a four-star DBJ Green Building certification for outstanding environmental and social consideration.

Featuring a façade made from 9mm thick steel plate lattices, the building effectively controls sunlight to maintain a comfortable interior climate while integrating light and shadow into the streetscape. By reevaluating the properties of 'steel' rather than conventional aluminum materials, the project introduces innovative construction techniques and challenging design expressions.

The lattice design includes subtle variations in depth, creating a balanced juxtaposition between sharpness and softness inherent to steel, resulting in a unique architectural character. This thoughtful design is not just superficial but emerges from meticulous thermal load simulations aimed at optimizing HVAC efficiency and understanding the relationship with the surrounding urban landscape.

The DBJ Green Building certification, established by the Development Bank of Japan, evaluates properties based on their environmental and social considerations, acting as a bridge between businesses and financial institutions. The assessment criteria include environmental performance, crisis response capability, collaboration with stakeholders, and user comfort, emphasizing long-term sustainability efforts beyond just quantitative metrics.

About ASCOT Corporation

ASCOT strives for a balanced approach fusing functionality and quality with design across all its properties. Leveraging its strong development capabilities and extensive domestic and international networks, ASCOT aims to provide high-quality real estate services that meet societal needs.

- Headquarters: 3-1-30 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Daiwa Aoyama Building 5F
- Established: April 1999
- CEO: Takaaki Nakabayashi
- Capital: 10,867 million yen
- Business Areas: Real estate development (including apartments, offices, commercial facilities, logistics centers), real estate leasing, and various other real estate services.
- Major Shareholder: Daiwa House Industry Co., Ltd.
- Official Website: ascotcorp.co.jp
- Official YouTube Channel: ASCOT YouTube