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Award recipient at the Architectural Institute of Japan Design Competition

Yohei Sato
Second year student at Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering Master’s Program

Yohei Sato’s plan for a mini train station created together with a friend was selected for an award at the Architectural Institute of Japan Design Competition. He was also awarded a Waseda Student Culture Award in 2014. Sato says he has learned much through his architectural design activities and studies.

“I learned how difficult it is to work with someone who has a different opinion than your own. Disagreements lead to discussions, and these discussions result in solutions that are better than your original idea. I may be exaggerating, but I have learned a lot about life. I experienced how important it is to listen to others and their ideas.”

Sato has dreamed of becoming an architect since elementary school. “I was influenced by my father, who loved architecture and would never miss an episode of the architecture-themed TV program, “Watanabe Atsushi no tatemono tanbo” (TV Asahi). I love thinking up ideas, and after I graduate, I’d like to find a job where I can make use of my planning abilities. In architecture, you have to take a wide range of things into consideration, such as urbanization. I get most excited when I envision things,” says Sato with a twinkle in his eyes.

“I’m interested in the influence buildings have on the surrounding neighborhood and those who use them. I’d be happy if, just once in my life, I could create a building where people would naturally gather to relax, even if they had no business there. Surely the day Sato’s dream comes true is not far off.

Yohei Sato

Yohei Sato is originally from Tokyo. In the 2014 Architectural Institute of Japan Design Competition, an architectural contest for students sponsored by the institute of the same name, his  “Mini Train Station Which Connects Neighborhoods” plan which was created with a friend was selected as one of 12 works out of a total 293 submitted for an honorable mention. This ambitious plan was created for the city of Kure, Hiroshima in order to pass on to future generations the historical scenery  lost due to development of transportation infrastructure and mini train stations. The design took two months to complete and included frequent trips to the intended location in Kure. Sato was awarded the Waseda Student Culture Award in 2014 for his success in the competition.