Yuri Naruse
Architect, Founder of NARUSE・INOKUMA ARCHITECTS Co., Ltd.
Yuri Naruse co-founded NARUSE・INOKUMA ARCHITECTS Co., Ltd. First-Class Architect Office (”Narukuma”) in 2007 after studying Architecture at the University of Tokyo. Narukuma focuses on using architectural planning and design to create shared spaces. Some of Narukuma’s notable works include “LT Josai”, a share house for new lifestyle, and “Dance of light”, a renovated space in Seoul. Narukuma is the recipient of various notable awards such as the 2015 Japan Architectural Association Newcomer Award, Special Mention at the 15th Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition, and the Prime Minister's Award at the South Korea Public Design Awards. They have also published several books, such as "Design Methods for Shared Spaces" and "Pursuing Architecture as a Career While Raising Children."
Judge’s selections
Saved by the Sea Prize
Sea vegetable Circulation
SEA VEGETABLE COMPANY
This project shows us a bright and healthy future in which the creation of a new food culture can enrich the marine ecosystem while also creating jobs. The world is facing a food problem, and it’s becoming clear that this will slowly but surely become a major problem in Japan as well. That’s why it’s so great to see a system being put in place to produce food without burdening the environment, alongside the development of cooking methods and recipes so that a new food culture can take root. It’s a project I’d really like to support.
Treasure Every Jar Prize
re:Mix, the circular kitchen mixer for your own glass jars
Open Funk
Who doesn’t accumulate empty glass jars with the intention of using them someday? And who hasn’t been forced to dispose of a kitchen appliance after it mysteriously breaks down? This is a delightful and inventive project that brilliantly resolves such small daily frustrations. As kitchen appliances add more new functions, they become harder to manage. This food mixer has only the basic functions that we really need, making it less complicated and easier to repair. It’s a very rational concept. As jars come in many different sizes, I was curious to see how versatile it is.
Plastic-Free Prize
Guilty Flavours
Eleonora Ortolani
This project packs a powerful message: we should not lose sight of the fact that we have no way to dispose of plastic waste. What if we as human beings ate the plastic? In asking this question, the project is really trying to challenge the status quo. Even if the prototype ice cream can't solve all our problems, it works to broaden and deepen our thinking. While we all need to recycle plastic and reduce plastic use, this project shows us the importance of taking a different view of the problem.
Beautify the Town Prize
Tejiendo la calle
Tejiendo la calle
As the project name “Weaving the Streets” suggests, beautiful hand-woven fabrics cover the sky above the streets, providing shade from the strong summer sun. These fabric structures, which are made from reused plastic, have made the town more attractive and increased the number of tourists. What’s most impressive is that this initiative has been continuing for as long as 10 years. It has become a culture, not an event. I hope that this beautiful townscape can continue 100 years into the future.
Safe Water Prize
Dodola
Pjorkkala
This is a very simple device that can produce safe water by 3D-printing clay mixed with water filtration materials into complex shapes. While I would really like to see the actual filtration of water, I appreciate the concept and the exquisite design. I imagine the finer structure will be designed for water filtration, but the larger shape can be freely changed and potentially used in a variety of different places.