On Kouri Island, Okinawa, we designed “a garden visitors can stay in” with a beautiful sea view in front of. It is an accommodation facility named Yawn Yard, and one “garden” (one accommodation unit) has semi-outdoor living that blends in with the surrounding landscape and a pool at the core, offering a new way of relaxing that will make you yawn. We proposed a new villa-type hotel where one can spend time harmonizing with nature generously.
Taking advantage of Okinawa's mild climate, in the semi-outdoor dining space, guests can have breakfast at the table with a unique Okinawan vermilion colour, and when it gets too hot, take a dip in the pool. When it cools down again, they can enjoy leisurely time, reading a book or having a drink at the dining table. In the evening, they can enjoy the beautiful sunset reflected on the sea and then take a bath when it gets chilly. They can cook in the kitchen and enjoy dinner in the dining room. When they start to feel sleepy, they can go to the bedroom at the back for a good night’s rest. In Okinawa, this way of spending time is called ‘Tē-Gē’ (dialect meaning ‘easygoing’), which is also the creative concept behind Yawn Yard.
Such a space where guests can spend a ‘Tē-Gē’ time as they move between indoors and outdoors seamlessly is made possible by the inverted V-shaped unit, which combines two standardised plans. Whereas villas usually have the same shape repeatedly, the innovation of this project is to propose a rational way to form a group of villas with distinct appearances. In this efficient design method, the openings of the V-shape and its positions are adjusted according to the direction of the sea view and the site shape. By arranging these units differently and covering them with uniquely shaped large roofs, a slightly different village-like appearance is realised.
The premises are divided into two areas: one is a long, narrow site on the sea side, with an undulating topography; the other is a trapezoidal site, with a difference in elevation. The villa units are functionally positioned along the site so that guests can stay in privacy without worrying about the noise of adjoining guests. We also provided a semi-outdoor space with the best view in the opening of the V that serves as a living area with a dining table and a small swimming pool. The two parts of each unit respectively function as a bedroom with the kitchen and the bedroom with the bathroom facing the sea. The simple and functional plan was achieved by seamlessly connecting the kitchen, dining table, bathroom, and swimming pool.
We regarded these buildings as a new Okinawan villa capitalizing on enjoying semi-outdoor living, and original Ryukyu furniture has been created with local artists to accompany it. Made in Okinawa production is intended to be a place where guests could experience the culture of the local Okinawan community, as well as realising the ecology of local production for local consumption.
Yawn Yard Kouri Island
Schemata Architects
Silver

1 / 12

Peter Meinders
Lecturer
at Saxion University of Applied Sciences
Tē-Gē; A big contrast with Japan ma...
6.5
8
7
6.5
7

Fo Chen
General Manager
at Guangzhou Baietan Mixc
7
6.5
6.5
8
7

Jessica Dimcevski
Founder and Creative Director
at Blurr Bureau
The intentional placement of each p...
6.5
8
8.5
8
7.75

Sarika Shetty
Partner
at SJK Architects
Timber as a material choice respond...
7
7.5
8
8
7.63

Sam Derrick
Managing Director
at Brinkworth
Whatever 'it' is, Schemata get it,...
8
8.5
9
8.5
8.5

Billy Ip
Principal, Global Sector Leader - Retail
at Woods Bagot
7
7.5
8
8.5
7.75

Hong-Bo Cheng
Founder and Creative Designer
at LubanEra·Design
6.5
7.5
8
8.5
7.63

Laetitia Murguet
Founder
at Oani Studio
7.5
7.5
6
7.5
7.13
Kevin Mclachlan
CEO
at NOMADK
Architecturally well placed element...
8
8.5
8.5
9
8.5
Designer
Client
Kashiwabara Hands
Floor area
922 ㎡
Completion
2024
Furniture
Portable lamp
Ryukyu limestone of the kitchen counter
Red tile
Furniture design collaboration
Structural design
Equipment design
Lighting design
Art direction/Sign planning
Landscape design
Artwork
Food design
Project direction
Construction
LATEST SUBMISSIONS
MORE PROJECTS
Hortensia Herrero Art Centre
Gold

Zara Ski Verbier
Silver

Hyundai Motorstudio Senayan Park
Silver

Scusa
Silver

Van B
Gold

The Cube Canary Wharf
Silver

V&A Photography Centre
Silver

L’École School of Jewelry Arts - Dubaï
Silver
-thumb.jpg)
Macquarie Group Americas Headquarters
Silver

Nikko Style Niseko Hanazono
Silver