We have been selected as the top (most outstanding) candidate in the proposal for the “New Construction of the Mihara Passenger Terminal “

Hirai Masatoshi Architects, together with Kurabayashi Takahiko Architects, formed the Octopus Design Collective and were selected as the top (most outstanding) candidate in the public architectural proposal competition for the basic and detailed design of the “New Construction of the Mihara Passenger Terminal (tentative name) in the Inner Port District of Onomichi Itozaki Port, a Major Port in Hiroshima Prefecture.”

Excerpt from the Evaluation Commentary

The proposal by the selected candidate (D) received a total of 6 votes, with 3 votes for first place and 3 votes for second place. The design, which places multiple small roofs at varying heights and includes a distinctive twisted roof under which essential rooms are arranged, was highly praised for its openness to the city and ease of use for citizens in their daily lives. The proposal also demonstrated thorough research of the surrounding environment. Additionally, the suggestion to involve stakeholders (creators and users) in the planning process and engage students, fostering a sense of ownership in the port development, was noted as a strong point. This proposal was evaluated as having the deepest understanding of the project theme, especially in its contribution to revitalizing the Mihara Port area, which is increasingly attracting young people. On the other hand, some concerns were raised about whether it would be possible to incorporate stakeholder feedback into the design within the limited design period. Furthermore, while some felt that the design’s symbolic quality could be slightly lacking, the fact that it blended well with the Mihara cityscape and would encourage casual visits from citizens was ultimately considered a positive, leading to the unanimous decision to select the proposal.

The jury members were as follows:

Chairperson: Momoyo Kaijima

Members: Nobutaka Nagahama, Yasuaki Onoda, Keisuke Maeda, Akihiro Yamamoto, Takashi Niimura, Mitsuru Kawabata (titles omitted)

You can view the public presentation and hearing from the final day of judging on YouTube at the link below:

https://www.pref.hiroshima.lg.jp/site/miryoku/miharakou.html