3rd Midrise Wood Building Design Competition

By: Kevin Bews

SPF Manager, Canada Wood Japan

COFI held its third Wood Midrise Design Competition beginning November 16, 2020, in which project applications from architects and construction firms were received until January 15, 2021. Judging for the competition was completed in February by three independent leading academics in the field of Japanese architecture; Ms. Azuma, Mr. Koshihara and Mr. Harada with the winning projects selected being announced in March. With the intention of celebrating tall wood building innovation and to raise awareness of the growth opportunities for wood midrise construction in Japan, a total of eight awards for midrise (five 4-storey & three 5-storey) wood buildings (six 2×4 projects, one P&B project & one CLT project) were selected and presented to the following companies: LOM Inc., MEDOX, Liv Corporation, MITSUBISHI ESTATE HOME CO., Ltd., FUJIRINGYOU GROUP, K. ASADA ARCHITECT & ASSOCIATES and SangoDesign.

The design competition received domestic support from nine Japanese government and industry organizations, including Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the Japan 2×4 Home Builders Association, the Wooden Home Builders Association of Japan, the Japan Cross Laminated Timber Association, the Japan Association of Architects, and others. A first of its kind, the midrise wood design award competition has been met with praise and positive reviews by the building and lumber industry in Japan. Image and photos of the three judges for the Midrise Wood Building Design Competition; Ms. Azuma, Mr. Koshihara and Mr. Harada and the eight projects selected can be viewed on the design competition website link included.