Winning Project: Hygge Circles Ugakei
DANISH REGENERATIVE TOURISM IN JAPAN
In collaboration with architectural design office Third Nature [DK] and environmental engineer Henrik Innovation [DK], Structured Environment has won the design of what is called Japan's first outdoor field.
The project was put in motion by Inabe City, Mie Prefecture, and the outdoor brand, Nordisk [DK/JP] as a part of a vision to revitalize outdoor experiences in the region.
The site is located at the trailhead of Ugakei, which has been used as a campsite for many years. The decision was made to dismantle existing and obsolete buildings and construct new facilities and sustainable architecture.
The themes of circularity and self-sufficiency has been actively adapted to this facility design, along with the central theme 'Hygge' - a Danish phrase covering coziness, being together, having fun, amongst other things.
Villages that thrived in ancient civilizations often used circular shapes to cherish natural resources. The circle is a popular and welcoming shape used to strengthen the sense of community while also being a motif for natural circulation.
Implementing the UN's Sustainable Developement Goals (SDGs) and Inabe City's "GCI - Green Creative Inabe-" has been key in development of the project. We aim to make use of both the rich natural environment and the local resources through the choice of building materials and operating schemes for the campsite.