The Japan Institute of Design Promotion announced that the Good Design Grand Award for 2023 has been awarded to the “Long house with an engawa”, a senior daycare center.

The Good Design Grand Award is the highest award of the Good Design Awards. It wasselected from among 1,548 Good Design Award winners this year as a symbol of design in today's society and asuitable symbol of what design can do in the future.

SeniorDaycare Center, Long house with an engawa

Winner: ALLFORONECo.,Ltd. + KENTARO YAMAZAKI DESIGNWORKSHOP Co.,Ltd.

<Grand Award winners' comments>
In an age when efficiency andconvenience are demanded in variousaspects, we created this facility because we believe that the elderly need aplace where they can live with dignity as human beings. Webelieve that the happiness for those elderly oftencome from daily communication withchildren and people of various generations. Throughthis facility, we are hoping to bring back the views of asociety where not only the elderly but also everyone can live happily bycommunicating each other which are being lost in today'ssociety. (Hidekazu Ishii / President, ALLFOR ONE Co.,Ltd.)

<Design summary>
Thisproject is a welfare facility designed to care for the elderly. The design islike Japanese traditional porch "Engawa"where locals can drop in casually. It's also a community base for welfare thatis a place for the elderly, children, and locals to help each other in times oftrouble.

<Jury's evaluations>
It is a place where people can help each other in the community. It’sunconventional day-care service It’s operated as a day-care facility, butwelcomes everyone from babies to the elderly, which is so wonderful. Perhapsthere are supporters who agree with the community vision and a support systemwhere people can help each other. The elderly are not only supported, but watchover children. Children help the adults. Everyone helps each other. It remindsus of old times. The long engawa-styledeck and wide space under the roof embody the concept beautifully and cause theactual situation. It seems that he has conducted workshops on garden buildingand has been working hard to create a place of trust. Its steady approach isalso highly commendable.