TAIZA AWAI-CLUB SHIROSHIMA VILLA

Shiroshima is a small island off the coast of Taiza in Kyotango, separated from the mainland by water and a narrow passage. This island has long been considered a sacred place, imbuing it with a rich cultural and spiritual significance. Any hospitality project established here must be designed with sensitivity to the landscape and aim to provide guests with a meaningful experience. TAIZA AWAI-CLUB SHIROSHIMA VILLA consists of two accommodation buildings, Mizu Yadoru and Hi Yadoru, designed by Nobuaki Suzuki of supermaniac inc. Together, these buildings exemplify the concept of "Primitive Luxury," focusing on time, privacy, and a close relationship with nature. This evolving interpretation of luxury highlights the contemporary traveller's desire to slow down, revel in privacy, and engage mindfully with their surroundings. The rhythm of a stay at Shiroshima is dictated by the sea, weather, and changing daylight, allowing each guest's experience to resonate with the island itself. In the architectural design, supermaniac inc. minimized the use of walls and columns to enhance connectivity to the environment, fulfilling privacy needs while maintaining a bond with nature. This strategy enables light, sea air, and the sound of water to flow freely throughout the interior spaces, allowing guests to stay linked to the island experience even indoors. Mizu Yadoru is designed with an openness toward the sea, while Hi Yadoru offers a more sheltered atmosphere that promotes contemplation. This diversity in design allows guests to engage with the island through varying levels of light, enclosure, and view. Rooms in Mizu Yadoru provide a horizon view just steps from the bed. Timber latticework and shoji-like screens filter daylight, creating a seamless transition between the interior and exterior. The ambiance within shifts naturally throughout the day, as sunlight travels across the space. A prominent treasure-wheel motif behind the bed symbolizes gratitude to the ocean, reflecting Taiza's fishing heritage and serving as a visual focal point. Its natural texture complements the room’s overall material palette. Conversely, Hi Yadoru promotes a more introspective experience, utilizing darker tones and exposed timber to enhance the sense of shelter. This design encourages guests to immerse themselves in the island's textures and subtleties before shifting their focus to the expansive landscape beyond. The contrast between the two buildings adds emotional depth to the retreat: Mizu Yadoru directs attention to the horizon and the dynamic sea, while Hi Yadoru envelops guests in tranquillity and safety. Both structures uphold an appreciation for natural materials and the island's unique character. Shared living spaces feature low furniture that maintains a visual connection with the coastline. In a sunken seating area, guests gather around a low table, enjoying uninterrupted views of pine trees, rocks, and the open sea. This setting invites conversation, reflection, and a deeper engagement with the surrounding environment. The dining area fosters a more intimate connection with the landscape. A long timber table sits beneath striking dark pendant lights, complemented by a glazed wall that opens outward. As day transitions to night, views shift from the sea's brightness to the island's rich hues and shadows. Timber, earthy plaster, woven screens, stone, and dark metals create a warm and textured interior, providing a stable refuge against the ever-changing conditions outside. These materials allow the elements- weather, season, and natural light to weave into the character of each room. The understated scale of the buildings respects the interplay between architecture and landscape. Dark timber walls, sloped roofs, and carefully curated stone gardens allow the villas to integrate harmoniously among the existing pines. Aerial views reveal the coastline, rock formations, and tree canopy as defining features of Shiroshima. "Primitive Luxury" encapsulates an experience shaped by time, place, and sensory attentiveness. At the villa, comfort resides in privacy, silence, natural materials, and the unhurried observation of the sea. The architecture creates an environment in which these elements can be fully appreciated throughout the day. TAIZA AWAI-CLUB SHIROSHIMA VILLA offers guests a unique and respectful connection to one of Kyotango's coastal landscapes. Through Mizu Yadoru and Hi Yadoru, supermaniac inc. has created two complementary spaces that embody this vision.

The architectural design focuses on the sequence of movement within the space. A narrow entry leads to a spacious main lounge, where changes in lighting and material textures guide members through the area. The club operates as a series of thresholds that gradually reveal the interior. Confidence characterizes the use of contrasting materials. Exposed concrete provides a strong foundation, complemented by the elegance of glass chandeliers and marble arches. Travertine and reclaimed timber add warmth, while antique mirrors create depth in the dining areas. Each colour palette encourages a distinct way of engaging with the space. The courtyard serves as both a social and structural centrepiece. It establishes a bright focal point within a deep floor plan, offering an informal meeting area for the surrounding activity rooms. This design transforms the spatial configuration into the central connective vein of the club.

Club Anonymous redefines membership culture by prioritizing social agency. The architecture offers a wide range of engagement options, empowering members to navigate the space with complete freedom. The design accommodates various interpersonal rhythms, allowing individuals to create their own social experiences. A harmonious blend of glamour and comfort is evident throughout the space. A chandelier hangs beneath raw concrete, candlelight warms the travertine, and greenery thrives beneath an artificial sky, showcasing a thoughtful balance. These contrasts give each room a unique personality. Exclusivity manifests as a quiet privilege, enabling members to move at their own pace.

Image 01 — Mizu Yadoru bedroom with treasure wheel Twin beds sit beneath a monumental braided treasure-wheel motif, with warm concealed light washing the textured wall. Timber lattice and a shoji-like screen create a layered, calm enclosure around the sleeping area.

Image 02 — Sea-facing bedroom The beds are aligned with a square opening that frames pine branches, rocks and water. Pale bedding and finely detailed timber screens keep the room quiet, allowing the compact view to become its principal event.

Image 03 — Hi Yadoru bedroom A softly illuminated woven form hovers above the twin beds against an earth-toned wall. Darker timber and concentrated light give the room a more inward, protective atmosphere.

Image 04 — Hearth lounge A low sunken seating area surrounds a timber table beneath exposed beams. Sliding screens connect the lounge with the adjoining bedroom, while narrow openings and warm light preserve a sense of intimacy.

Image 05 — Sea-facing living room Floor-to-ceiling openings wrap the low lounge around views of pine trees and open water. The sunken furniture stays below the horizon, making the room feel continuous with the rocky coastline.

Image 06 — Dining room at night A long timber table sits beneath a sequence of dark pendant lights, with dense vegetation visible beyond the glazing. The focused lighting gathers guests around the table while the surrounding room recedes into shadow.

Image 07 — Exterior courtyard and dark timber façade A compact dark-clad building faces a stone garden framed by mature pines. The low roof, restrained openings and simple outdoor seating allow the existing landscape to remain visually dominant.

Image 08 — Aerial view of Shiroshima The island appears as a rocky, tree-covered outcrop surrounded by sea, with the villa occupying a small position within the canopy. The image confirms the project’s limited footprint and the continuing dominance of natural landform.

No architectural plans or sections were supplied in the project folder. The spatial reading is therefore based on the eight photographs and the presentation panel. These materials indicate two separate, low-rise ryokan buildings distributed within the island landscape, with private rooms, shared lounges and dining spaces oriented towards different coastal conditions.

Interior organization is based on layered thresholds. Timber lattice, sliding screens and changes in floor level separate sleeping, lounge and circulation zones without relying on heavy partitions. Sea-facing rooms use controlled openings and low furniture to protect privacy while maintaining a continuous relationship with the horizon.

The shared rooms appear to occupy the most open edges of the buildings. Sunken seating, glazed corners and low tables place occupation close to the ground, while the dining room turns towards vegetation and night views. Externally, the buildings maintain a compact footprint among existing pines and stone, preserving the island’s larger visual and ecological structure.

TAIZA AWAI-CLUB SHIROSHIMA VILLA Project Complition: July 1, 2025 Company URL: https://supermaniac.ne.jp/ Design: Nobuaki Suzuki (supermaniac inc.) Direction: Akitoshi Imafuku (supermaniac inc.)

A ryokan that embraces nature and converses with it

Nestled within Taiza, Kyotango, the two buildings of “Mizu Yadoru” and “Hi Yadoru”, the Shiroshima Villa of Sumihei Taiza Awai-Club, occupy the entire island of Shiroshima. This island, long revered as a sacred dwelling place, stands solitary and secluded. The concept is “Primitive Luxury.” Believing that true luxury lies in embracing nature as it is and conversing with it, the design prioritized removing walls and pillars wherever possible. This allows not only the natural scenery but even the very essence of nature to permeate the space. The luxury here lies in simply watching and listening to the sea spread before you, letting time pass. Design progressed with the priority of accentuating this luxury.

True to its ancient name, “Kami Yadoru Island” a sacred dwelling place, this place exudes a profoundly positive energy. Out of respect for the island, the design strives to preserve nature as much as possible. In the rooms of “Mizu Yadoru” facing the sea, a large treasure wheel adorns the headboard, expressing reverence for the ocean. In this way, gratitude for being allowed to spend time with the island is woven into every detail.

Prepared for Merci Magazine × Sky Design Awards 2026