Winner: Sustainable building of the year 2021. The Kamikatsu Zero Waste Center by Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP and Yamada Noriaki Structural Design Office is built using waste materials.

The waste facility is in the town of Kamikatsu, the first location in Japan to issue a Zero Waste Declaration.

The horseshoe-shaped facility provides a drive-through space and easy access to the sheltered stockyard.

Kamikatsu Zero Waste Center is made predominantly of recycled material and also houses a hotel. The facade was made using timber offcuts and windows donated by the community. Recycled glass and pottery were sourced to make the terrazzo flooring. Other various unwanted objects were sourced for a range of fittings.

The facility's development has become a community project, connecting to the town's circular and sustainable philosophy.

Judges comments: "The Kamikatsu Zero Waste Center is a holistic project which is having a significant impact on its local community and one in which sustainability has been considered from every perspective. The center is acknowledging and celebrating society - it shows the community coming together and contributing. Beyond just a green and beautiful constructed architecture edifice, it is actually a decentralized upcycling factory, education, community center cafe, retailer and a hotel. This is the green architecture we desperately need."

Architect: Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP / Yamada Noriaki Structural Design Office
Project: Kamikatsu Zero Waste Center
Read more: Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP