For Immediate Release

April 26, 2013
LIXIL JS Foundation

3rd LIXIL International University Architectural Competition
to Discover Next-generation Sustainable Housing
Harvard University's HORIZON HOUSE Wins Top Prizeat 3rd LIXIL International University Architectural Competition
Construction Set to Start in Late October 2013 at Memu Meadows (Taiki-cho, Hokkaido)

Left: Award ceremony for Harvard University by jury president, Kengo Kuma. /Right: Ceremonial photograph with three finalists and jurors.

In the open final screening of the 3rd LIXIL International
University Architectural Competition, held publicly on April
20, Sat, 2013 at Plaza Hall, Kasumigaseki Building(Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), “HORIZON HOUSE” by Harvard
University (USA) was chosen from three finalists,
previously selected from a total of twelve designateduniversities from eleven different countries, to receive theHarvard University / Horizon House
top prize. The competition was established by the LIXIL
JS Foundation to inform the wider public of technological developments in the field. Thefoundation (located in Koto-ku, Tokyo; president: Yoichiro Ushioda), which undertakes surveys
and research related to the housing and building materials industry as well as supporting thedevelopment of human resources, is actively engaged in the search and verification of nextgeneration sustainable housing.
During the open final screening, a heated discussion occurred between jury president, Kengo
Kuma (architect / professor, University of Tokyo) and jurors, Tomonari Yashiro (doctor ofengineering / vice president, University of Tokyo) and Darko Radović (professor, KeioUniversity). The three stressed the importance of interpreting the theme of this year’scompetition, “RETREAT IN NATURE” (i.e., creating a hideaway detached from everyday life).
The winning work, “HORIZON HOUSE” by Harvard University (USA) , was notable for amechanism designed to reduce construction material-based energy generation through the useof composite materials for the foundation. In addition to a sustainable design, including raised
floors to deal with snowfall, the house’s 360-degree, panoramic view helped realize the qualityof a “RETREAT.” The work, selected the winner in a unanimous decision, was also rated highly
for allowing residents to choose the type of scenery they favored at will.

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In his general comments, jury president, Kengo Kuma said, “It is no simple task to realize sucha radical idea. I look forward to seeing this extremely clever concept come to fruition with thesupport of LIXIL and Taiki-cho. And on a personal level, I also have great expectations for its
completion.” Later, in the award ceremony, Ana Garcia Puyol, Thomas Sherman, and Takuya
Iwamura, representing Harvard University, said, “It was a great pleasure to take part in thisyear’s competition. We would first like to express our deepest gratitude to the judge for choosing
us as the winning team. It was through the kindness of our teachers and many others that wewere able to carry out the entire process. Many challenges still lie ahead, but we are also
looking forward to staying in “HORIZON HOUSE” after it is completed”
With support from Kengo Kuma & Associates, the team will arrive at a final design for“HORIZON HOUSE”, and the work is scheduled to be built in late October 2013 on a site atMemu Meadows, located in Taiki-cho, Hokkaido.
URL: http://www.lixiljsfound.or.jp/category/1839540.html

Contact Information
Executive Secretariat of 3rd LIXIL International University Architectural Competition
KYODO PUBLIC RELATIONS Co., Ltd.
Yasuharu Sakai, +81(0)3-3571-5326
lixil_pr@kyodo-pr.co.jp

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＜Reference Information＞≪Attached Document≫■List of Winning Works
・Top Prize

Harvard University
Horizon House・Award of Excellence（2 works）

National University of Singapore
kaze house

Delft University of Technology
Simply Adjustable■Overview of 3rd LIXIL International University Architectural Competition
1. List of participating universities(◎: Entrants that advanced to the open final screening on April 20)
Aalto University (Finland)
Dresden University of Technology (Germany)◎Delft University of Technology (The Netherlands)
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (Switzerland)
The Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London (UK)
Vienna University of Technology (Austria)◎Harvard University (USA)
Tongji University (Singapore)◎National University of Singapore (Singapore)Hanoi Architectural University (Vietnam)
Kyoto University (Japan)
Hokkaido University (Japan)

2. Judging method
Twelve universities in eleven countries were invited to submit proposals for a nextgeneration, sustainable house designed for a cold region. Three entrants were thenselected in the first screening (based on documents submitted). And the top prize winner
was subsequently chosen in the open final screening.

3. Review board
Jury President: Kengo Kuma (architect / professor, University of Tokyo)
Jurors: Tomonari Yashiro (doctor of engineering / vice president, University of Tokyo)
Darko Radović (professor, Keio University)

4. Prizes
Top prize (one work): $15,000 (USD; including design costs)
Award of Excellence (two works): $3,000 (USD; including design costs)*Top-prize work will be constructed on a site in Memu Meadows (Taiki-cho, Hokkaido).
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■The LIXIL International University Architectural Competition
This year's competition centers on the theme of “RETREAT IN NATURE” designed for
Taiki-cho, Hokkaido. By making use of the regional characteristics of the town, a cold area
subject to extremely harsh climatic conditions with an underdeveloped infrastructure, thecompetition attempts to introduce some of the world’s most cutting-edge technology. The
event also functions to convey information to the global society by building next-generation,
sustainable housing that matches the magnificent scenery of the winter snow, spring andsummer trees, and agricultural products that are peculiar to Japan’s far north, and to verify
the technical efficacy of houses based on energy-conservation data.
The top-prize work will actually be constructed on a site in Memu Meadows (Taiki-cho,Hokkaido).

Building schedule for “HORIZON HOUSE” (2013)
May-June: Working Drawing
July: Building estimates, etc.
Aug.: Construction begins
Sept.-Oct.: Construction continues
Late Oct.: Construction set to be completed

Organizer: LIXIL JS Foundation
Cooperator: LIXIL Corporation Research Institute / Taiki-cho, Hokkaido
Supporter: Obihiro Development and Construction Dept. / Hokkaido Regional
Development Bureau / Hokkaido Government Tokachi General Subprefectural Bureau /Architectural Institute of Japan / The Japan Institute of Architects (JIA) / Japan Federationof Architects & Building Engineers Associations / Shinkenchiku-sha Co., Ltd.
Official website: www.lixiljsfound.or.jp/category/1835715.html
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/LIXIL.IUAC■Overview of Memu Meadows Facility
Name: Memu Meadows
Location: 158-1 Memu, Taiko-cho, Hiro-gun, Obihiro,Hokkaido(on the former site of Taiki Farms)
Owner: LIXIL JS Foundation(2-1-1 Ojima, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 136-8535)
Site area: App. 184,000 square meters
Main facilities: Experimental house “Même”, “BANGLADESH BANBOO PROJECT”,“A recipe to live”, “BARN HOUSE”, multipurpose hall, laboratory, three housing units(accommodations for researchers), two log houses (accommodations for researchers),
fitness center, restaurant, sauna, administrative building, etc.
Features of facility: The Environmental Technology Research Institution
was established in Taiki-cho, Hokkaido, by the LIXIL JS Foundation to realize the concepts
outlined above. At the heart of the facility is Même, an experimental house designed for thearctic region by Kengo Kuma & Associates. (For more information in Japanese, see:www.lixil.co.jp/s/taiki-cho/about/)

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