Yamaya Sohonten Zen/Shirogane Shore" in Fukuoka, Japan Fukuoka, Japan, received the Good Design Award for 2023!

Yamaya Communications Inc. (Headquarters: Sasaguri-machi, Kasuya-gun, Fukuoka Prefecture; President: Masahide Yamamoto; hereinafter referred to as "Yamaya") is pleased to announce that its flagship store, "Yamaya Sohonten Zen/Shirogane Shore" has received the Good Design Award for 2023 (sponsored by Japan Institute of Design Promotion).

Exterior covered with burnt cedar and copper-plated entrance that opens to the outside

Super elliptical courtyard with vegetation of Kyushu origin

About Yamaya Sohonten

Comprised of two areas, "Zen," which offers kappo cuisine with a Kyushu theme, and "Shirogane Koji," which offers lunch and souvenirs to enjoy "spicy cod roe," a taste of Fukuoka and Hakata, Yamaya Sohonten is dedicated to "food" with the utmost hospitality and sincerity toward the ingredients and food culture of Kyushu. The flagship store embodies the "Yamaya attitude" of providing customers with the greatest hospitality to enjoy "food" while being faithful to Kyushu's food ingredients and culinary culture. It is a "space of hospitality" designed with communication with customers as the top priority.

The space created by architects yHa architects expresses the tradition and future of Yamaya. The contrast between the exterior, covered by a black wall, and the space that stretches out from the inside of the building gives visitors a sense of surprise and relief. A courtyard spreads out in the center, and the buildings surrounding it carry on the memory of the place by reusing the transoms and other elements of the old house that once stood on this land.

The concept of utilizing resources with care resonates with our attitude toward food.

Interior view of the restaurant

Shirogane Koji Interior view

Architectural Outline

Yamaya Sohonten Zen / Shirogane Shore

Location: 1-5-5 Shirogane, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture

https://yamaya-sohonten.jp/

<Specifications

Site area: 699.22m2

Building area : 310.83m2

Total floor area: 297.52m2

Structure: Wooden, steel-framed, 1 story above ground

Exterior Finish / Roof: Asphalt shingle

Exterior walls: Baked cedar boards, copper plates

Floor: Sanwa-do, Karakurite

Interior finishes: Ceiling: Wooden cement board + paint, exposed structural beams + AEP paint

Interior walls : Plaster and clay walls

Floor: Terrazzo, Karakrete

<Designer> yHa architects Inc.

yHa architects Inc. yHa architects Hirase Yuto + Hirase Yuko Ikejiri Masato

Design Points

1 Inheritance of "material memory" by reconstructing "spatial memory" that follows the location of the old building and trees, as well as the raw materials such as the transoms and fittings.

2. Design that responds to the concept of "Made in KYUSHU" by using timber, stone, and plaster produced in Kyushu.

3 The super elliptical courtyard and surrounding corridors are softly curved spaces that do not feel angled at any point.

Evaluation comments

Modernity and tradition are in harmony at "Yamaya Sohonten Zen/Shirogane Shore" in Fukuoka City. This innovative project celebrates tradition by inheriting the memory of the space and materials left in the old house and connecting them to the local heritage. It embodies the concept of "Made in KYUSHU" and showcases Kyushu's rich culinary culture. The building is constructed with materials from Kyushu, such as burnt cedar and red clay walls, and its signature oval courtyard is lush with Kyushu plants. The project embodies "evolving tradition" and "Made in KYUSHU" by respecting the local context and creating new values through a fusion of inherited functions and contemporary architecture. The project adopts a unique design approach by placing a super-elliptical courtyard within a space enclosed by black rectangular boxes, bringing an oasis of serenity amidst the chaos of the city.

■What is the Good Design Award?

The Good Design Award is an activity to evaluate and promote Japan's representative designs, succeeding the Good Design Product Selection System established in 1957. As a global design award with the participation of many companies and organizations in Japan and abroad, the Good Design Awards are held annually with the aim of improving the quality of life and utilizing design to solve social issues and themes. The "G Mark," the symbol of the award, is widely known as a symbol of excellent design.

Official website: http://www.g-mark.org/

■Company Profile

Company name: YAMAYA COMMUNICATIONS Co.

President and Representative Director: Masahide Yamamoto

Head office location: 1-1, Sairidai, Sasaguri-machi, Kasuya-gun, Fukuoka 811-2418, Japan

Business description: Manufacturing and sales of spicy cod roe, processing and sales of marine products and general food products, food service business

HP ：https://www.yamaya.com/corporate/