Prize(s) Honorable Mentions
Lighting Design/Product Company tono Inc.
Lead Designers Tsukasa Ono
Other Designer's names Hisaki Kato
Client Sumu Yakushima
Photo Credits Rui Nishi/Wataru Aoyama/Satoshi Nagare
Other Credits Moss Guide Club
Completion Date May,2022
Project Location Yakushima Japan
Entry DescriptionIlluminate the space with the natural hues of the local soil through custom lighting fixtures designed for the Sumu Yakushima building. This architectural endeavor, embracing the concept of Regenerative Architecture, seeks to forge a connection with nature by activating microorganisms in the soil to enhance the surrounding environment.
High-quality soil collected during foundation work inspired the creation of ceramic lighting fixtures. Each piece of fired pottery showcases a unique color variation due to the diverse soil qualities of the area.
These lighting installations reflect the site's distinctive characteristics, incorporating ceramics crafted from locally sourced soil atop the building site. A bulb encased within each pottery piece softly illuminates, casting a gentle glow that infuses the space with warmth.
To complement this unique lighting, interior finishes feature locally harvested cedar, plaster, and stone, harmonizing beautifully with the earthy tones of the illuminated ceramics. This experience offers a novel way to infuse the space with the rich color palette derived from the region's soil.
Sustainability ApproachThis innovative architecture embodies regenerative principles, extending deep into the soil to promote sustainability. By driving baked stakes into the ground, it fosters mycelium growth, ensuring soil health and encouraging tree vitality. Notably, the This lighting was born while regenerating the surrounding environment.
All pottery was fired using local natural materials as fuel, representing a carbon-neutral approach to production on small remote islands. By harnessing island-based energy sources, this method minimizes transportation costs and associated CO2 emissions. This lighting project epitomizes regeneration by harmonizing with and revitalizing its surrounding environment.
