Amami House Axxam sɣur Kazunori Sakai d anerbaz yettwaqadren meqqren n 2026 Tarbaḥt A' Design Award n Lfeṭṭa deg Taggayt n Tnaflit n Afeṣṣel n Tansekta, Lebni d Teɣssa.

LfeṭṭaTansekta· 2026

Amami House Axxam

sɣur Kazunori Sakai

Amsaɣ: Sakai Architects

Anerbaz n Tarbaḥt A' Design Award n Lfeṭṭa deg Taggayt n Tansekta

15,424

Anerbaz n Urraz Yettwasenqden

Senqed Addad n Urraz i #177153

Rzu ɣer usmel Wali deg A' Design Award Tabḍert n tɣamsa Tanecḍa n wammud

Initen

Afeṣṣel

Ɣef Amami House Axxam

Axxam n Amami d tanezduɣt yesɛan timanit deg tegzirt n Amami, di Japun, i d-yettwaheggan i twacult n rebɛa yemdanen. Tagzirt-a tesɛa anezwu iḥman yerna d abeddal, s uswir amecṭuḥ n uzenzeɣ n yiṭij. Axxam-a yettak tudert n lehna war ma yettkel ɣef uẓeṭṭa n trisiti neɣ ɣef usemmed n uzwu. Tisebbaḍin tisusamin am usnifes agaman, tafat n wass akked ugummer n uẓɣal ssenqasent lḥaǧa ɣer inagrawen imikanikiyen. Talɣa n ssqef aqbur s yidisan iknan tettwales-as tigawt s wudmawen atraren n tmellit. Asseḥmay n waman s yiṭij, anagraw n uselked n yiferḍas d tebḥirt n uxxam kemmlen allus amecṭuḥ n timanit.

Asmekti

Ɣef Tarbaḥt A' Design Award n Lfeṭṭa

Amami House Axxam d amerbaḥ n Tarbaḥt A' Design Award n Lfeṭṭa, tagmat ɛlayen i yisnulfa yelhan, yeḥlan s waṭas. Imerbaḥen n Lfeṭṭa d isnulfa yelhan akk, yesɛan tmusni d tazmert. Amami House Axxam ad yili d asnulfu amaynut, yelhan, ad yeǧǧ ddunit tennuɣ.

Deffir n ufeṣṣel

Tagrurt n tɣamsa

Ismawen n terbaɛt, iferdisen itiknikanen akked telɣut i d-yefka umeṣṣufeɣ.

Taɣara Tasuft: Located on Amami Island, an island with a hot and humid climate and among the lowest levels of solar radiation in Japan, this self-sufficient house investigates how a family of four can live comfortably without dependence on the power grid or air conditioning.

Rooted in the island’s unique climate and culture, the design reinterprets vernacular architecture through passive strategies, including natural ventilation, daylighting, and insulation, thereby minimizing reliance on mechanical systems.

The project presents a sustainable model of living in harmony with nature, nurturing resilience, and quietly redefining what it means to dwell in the modern world.
Tigejdiwin & Akemmus: A vacuum-tube solar water heater installed on the east-facing roof supplies domestic hot water, reaching 60 to 97 degrees Celsius in summer and around 30 degrees in winter. Only minimal backup from a gas heater is needed, reducing gas consumption to less than half of that in the family’s previous rental home. Groundwater use was initially considered, but high iron content led to the adoption of a public water supply for greater reliability. The sauna is heated with wood repurposed from local construction offcuts, creating a circular resource exchange with nearby builders. A composting system turns kitchen waste into fertilizer for the home garden, where vegetables grown on-site return to the dining table, forming a small yet tangible cycle of self-sufficiency.
Tibzimin: Off-grid housing, Passive design, Self-sufficient living, Vernacular architecture, Japan, Sustainable architecture, Resilient design, Energy autonomy, Community living, Climate-responsive design
Tasnakta n Ufares: Amami is often called the “Island of Yui,” known for its deeply interwoven social ties. Traditional celebrations for children’s milestones often bring together more than 80 relatives and neighbors, reflecting a collective culture where child-rearing is shared across families and the wider community, and homes have historically functioned as both private and communal spaces. In recent years, however, such practices have diminished due to nuclear families, standardized housing, and the impact of the pandemic. This house responds by reintroducing openness and generosity into the domestic realm, creating spaces where people can naturally gather and share time together, reviving and sustaining the island’s cultural traditions.
Asewḥel n Usnulfu: The hardest part was designing a truly self-sufficient house in one of Japan’s most demanding climates—hot, humid, and with limited solar radiation—while removing dependence on the power grid and air conditioning. Balancing comfort and resilience required continuous testing of passive strategies, energy autonomy, and spatial composition, with every decision responding precisely to local climate data. Equally challenging was integrating cultural elements such as the dispersed house form, the openness of yui community ties, and traditional roof expressions into a contemporary language sustaining both environmental and communal life.
Aseḥbiber: Inspired by the vernacular landscapes of Amami, where corrugated metal roofs are commonly seen across local settlements, the design inherits the traditional hip-and-gable roof form and integrates contemporary performance features such as insulation, ventilation, and natural lighting. Through this synthesis, the project reinterprets and reconstructs the roof as a new architectural typology that connects local identity with modern functionality.
Tanzagt n Usenfar: Design Period: February 2018 – December 2023
Construction Period: January 2024 – August 2024
Amami island, KAGOSHIMA, JAPAN.
Tanila n Umahil: The project gently explores a sustainable way of living in harmony with the natural environment. Embracing the unique climate and culture of the southern islands, it quietly reexamines what it means to dwell in the modern age.
Igmamen n Terbaɛt: KAZUNORI SAKAI（ARCHITECT)
MASAYUKI TAKATA (Structural Engineer)
TOMOHIRO URATA (Garden Designer)
KAZUHIKO HANAI (Lighting Designer)
KAZUNORI KAWAGUCHI (Main Contractor)
MAKOTO TANAKA (Carpenter)
MICHIHIKO MINESHIMA (Electrical Contractor)
YASUNORI SAKAE (Plumbing Contractor）
Imsuren n Tugniwin: TOSHIHISA ISHII