Coexhibition of award-winning works with ADF, the Milan Architects Association, and GARDE during the Salone del Mobile in Milan

NPO Aoyama Design Forum (ADF), a non-profit organization, announced the results of the judging for the "ADF Design Award 2026", an award for architects from around the world, and has decided on the Grand Prize-winning work and the Excellence Award. The Grand Prize went to KEISUKE KOIKE (Thirdparty / K2YT). The Excellence Award went to Jeravej Hongsakul (IDIN Architects) and Jannis Renner（ATELIER BRÜCKNER). Congratulations to all the winners.

This award is a significant design award with a total prize of USD20,000 and the juries of world-renowned figures in the architecture and design industry. The winners will have the opportunity to attend the award ceremony in Milan during the Milano Salone starting April 21, 2026, and to exhibit their works in collaboration with the Milan Architects Association's Best Graduation Award for Polytechnic University of Milan students and interior design company GARDE. We would like to thank all those who entered the competition and all those who supported the organization of the competition.

Winners of the "ADF Design Award 2026"

GRAND PRIZE: KEISUKE KOIKE (Thirdparty / K2YT)

Keisuke Koike was born in Zushi, Japan, in 1974 and spent his formative years in this coastal town surrounded by the sea and mountains—an environment that has strongly influenced his approach to architectural design. He entered Waseda University in 1994 and completed his graduate studies there in 2000. In 2001, he joined NASCA, led by his former mentor Professor Seiichi Furuya, where he gained extensive experience in architectural practice. He founded his own design office, K2YT, in 2008, and co-founded the design office Thirdparty in 2012 to engage in larger-scale architectural projects. Koike has been a part-time lecturer at Waseda University since 2013 and at Musashino University since 2017.

Category: Cultural Buildings

Title: Miyakonojo Komizo Eye Clinic

Brief introduction of work:

This eye clinic reimagines waiting as a meaningful and active experience rather than passive time spent on screens. To avoid a single overwhelming volume, the building is composed of segmented roofs with varied ceiling heights, creating open, park-like areas for gathering alongside more intimate spaces for privacy and calm. Gardens inserted between the roofs bring soft natural light deep into the interior, gently blurring the boundary between inside and outside. Corridors become places to pause, and seating both indoors and outdoors allows patients to choose how to spend their time, experiencing comfort, openness, and quiet moments within a welcoming, community-oriented environment.

Excellence Award: Jeravej Hongsakul (IDIN Architects)

Jeravej Hongsakul founded IDIN Architects in 2004. The studio’s design philosophy focuses on integrating multiple “natures”—ecological surroundings, urban context, and the personalities of users—into a unified architectural expression. This concept reflects the firm’s core idea, as “IDIN” stands for Integrated Design Into Nature, while the Thai word “idin” refers to the scent of soil after rainfall. Under his leadership, IDIN Architects has received numerous design awards, including the ASA Awards and TIDA Awards in Thailand, as well as international recognitions such as the Arcasia Awards for Architecture, the GOOD Design Award, the Plan Award, and the Architizer A+ Awards.

Category: HOSPITALITY

Title: Harudot

Brief introduction of work:

Harudot is a standalone café that expresses the ideas of growth and new beginnings through the integration of nature and architecture. Developed in collaboration with Thailand’s renowned café brand Nana Coffee Roasters and a site owner passionate about exotic plants, the project explores how architecture can nurture living landscapes. Simplified gable forms are subtly separated to allow trees to grow through the building, as if seeds were planted within its core and protected by the façade. Clad in blackened wood, the exterior appears calm and minimal, while the interior unfolds with flowing curves and warm timber tones, revealing a dynamic and unexpected spatial experience.

Excellence Award: Jannis Renner（ATELIER BRÜCKNER）

©Tom_Maurer

Jannis Renner is a Senior Project Manager at ATELIER BRÜCKNER in Stuttgart. With more than ten years of experience as an architect and project manager, he has been involved in the conception, development, planning, coordination, and realization of complex exhibition and architectural projects. His work spans all project phases, from competition design and detailed planning to construction management for renovation, refurbishment, and new-build projects. Since 2017, he has also been a lecturer at HTWG Konstanz – University of Applied Sciences, where he teaches architecture within an intercultural context. Renner is a member of the German Chamber of Architects.

Category: HOSPITALITY

Title: Uzbekistan Pavilion, Expo 2025 Osaka

©Josef Sindelka

©Josef Sindelka

Brief introduction of work:

The Uzbekistan Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, titled Garden of Knowledge: A Laboratory for a Future Society, presents the country’s transformation through architecture, exhibition, and immersive storytelling. Inspired by the historic caravanserai, the architecture creates a place for exchange and learning while combining traditional references with contemporary design. A rooftop garden is defined by a sculptural wooden structure recalling the colonnaded halls of the Juma Mosque in Khiva. Inside, the exhibition explores themes of sustainability, innovation, and education, culminating in a rising platform with a 360-degree multimedia experience. Designed for reuse, the pavilion will be relocated to Nukus and rebuilt as part of a Children’s Library.

Juries

• Dr. Ooi Boon Seong / Chief Executive Director of OD&A
• Maria Vittoria Capitanucci / Milan Order of Architects
• M.L. Varudh Varavarn / Founder, Principal Architect of Vin Varavarn Architects
• Seuk Hoon Kim / Executive Director of Korean Society of Interior Architects/Designers
• Suzy Annetta / Founder and Publisher of Design Anthology
• Kelly Tan / Acting Director of Industry, DesignSingapore Council
• Marco Bevolo / Adjunct Professor of Design Future, World University of Design; Founder of Marco Bevolo Consulting
• Heather Dubbeldam / Principal of Dubbeldam Architecture + Design
• Mark Olthoff / Principal, Owner of OLSON KUNDIG
• Christina Yao / China Editor of Dezeen
• Ben Kikkawa / Zaha Hadid Architects
• Nicola Maniero / Kengo Kuma & Associates

Judging Criteria

• Beauty: Artistic value in shape, color, detailing, and material selection.
• Innovation: Socially responsive, using new materials, innovative processes, and pioneering designs.
• Usefulness: Benefit to users and sustainability for the environment.
• Regional / Cultural / Chronological Context: Fit with regional and cultural backgrounds and contemporary trends.

Prize

• Grand Award: US$20,000 (1 work from all categories)
• Excellence Award: US$5,000 (2 works from all categories)
• There may be a case that some awards are considered as "not applicable".

Supplemental Prize

• The Grand Award and Excellence Award winners will have their works exhibited at the ADF venue in Fuori Salone during the "Milano Salone (Salone Internazionale del Mobile)"
• Aoyama Design Forum will cover up to USD 1,000 for set-up costs
• The winners will have the opportunity to be exhibited at the Metaverse Museum "COCO WARP" run by ADF
• The grand prize winner will receive PR support from the ADF Business Matching Division for one year