Issue 10 2021

Acquisition International - Issue 10 2021 15 Designing the World of Tomorrow The designs of tomorrow are made by the visionaries of today. The team at YDS have a long track record of thinking the unthinkable, then bringing it into reality. It has seen them justly named Most Innovative International Architecture Design Firm 2021 – Japan in Acquisition International’s Global Excellence Awards. We take a closer look to discover why. Aug21458 DS was established to strive for innovation in design. The team’s mission since opening its doors for the first was to act as “Visionaries of Art and Science with Philosophy”. Over the years, the team have developed their own unique approach, known as “Wavering Architectures”, a design aesthetic which both stimulates human minds while invoking a stronger connection between humanity and nature. The firm’s core values have held firm since its inception, despite the societal shift thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is best shown by the team’s latest project: House in Toshima. This project demonstrates the clear innovative design that the team have always aimed for. While a small and simple white house on the outside, the space within provides infinite vastness for the people who live there. The simple design offers impressive cubic volume as well as a place to stand still for those who live in the heart of a bustling city. The design is one where people can enjoy their lives, while letting go of the mind’s daily stresses. It embraces, throughout, the unique execution of the concept of Organic Voids. The building’s main feature is its flexibility. Those living a number of different lifestyles might fit it the ideal place to call home. Living in this house opens to the door to wildlife and nature, with light, wind, water and rain flowing through its every pore. As mentioned before, the team always aim to connect these two vital parts of the world and provide a space where they might function in harmony. One of the most interesting facets of the team’s design for House in Toshima is the use of light throughout. From the outer void via the inner void, light, and the way in which it is perceived, changes from season to season, being reflected and crushed in walls and ceilings. Y Far from harsh, the design has been carefully developed to provide a gentle touch, one which reminds dwellers of the unlimited beauty of light and life. The void is able to function as “Void of the Light” at day and “Vessel of the light” by night, offering clients an original and transformative perspective. Most of the clients who turn to YDS want them to design their properties and buildings using the original ideas and concepts which they have become infamous for. The team takes nothing for granted as they develop their designs and this has allowed many of their realized projects to demonstrate innovation on an impressive scale. From the ground up, YDS is always exploring new ways of working that could revolutionize the industry. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge for every industry, and the YDS team have seen many of their projects delayed or cancelled, while those that are ongoing have minimal face to face time for supervision. The team have adapted to this quickly, and taken advantage of this unique opportunity to develop some of the plans even more. The team has discussed many of their latest products, and now the ideas do even deeper, crystalizing in new and impressive forms. The ideas developed during the House in Toshima project, particularly that of Organic Void is certain to be a feature in many concepts moving forward. It’s a clear example of how the team’s innovation leads to real change in the design industry. Company: YDS Name: Yoshitaka Uchino Email: [email protected] Web Address: www.ydsaa.net