Interview about Stacked Crystal Form Office and Factory, winner of the A' Architecture, Building and Structure Design Award 2025
This project establishes a smart factory integrating headquarters and plant functions adjacent to the existing research facility. Inspired by stacked crystal chips, the design symbolizes Daishinku's products in architectural form. This motif extends across the exterior and interior, creating an open, continuous workspace that embodies the company's identity while enhancing connectivity. The lighting plan reflects the angles of crystal cutting, integrating this distinctive feature into the spatial design to create a dynamic and functional environment.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsThe lighting design was directly inspired by the precision angles of quartz crystal cuts—AT (35.15°), CT (38°), and DT (52°)—which determine the vibration frequency of each oscillator. By translating these exact angles into the ceiling lighting geometry, we created a rhythm of light that visually embodies Daishinku’s core technology. The intersection of light lines replicates the wave propagation inside a crystal, producing a luminous environment that resonates with scientific precision.
The atrium functions as a vertical communication hub connecting all departments. Its openness encourages visual interaction and cross-disciplinary dialogue, reflecting Daishinku’s philosophy of “synchronization.” The crystalline void serves not only as a source of daylight but as a metaphor for transparency and unity within a company that values precision and collaboration.
We studied the layered structure of quartz chips and translated their stacked precision into architectural volumes. Each layer represents a “chip,” slightly offset to evoke growth and frequency modulation. The varying thicknesses correspond to product diversity, creating a sculptural massing that mirrors microscopic precision on an urban scale.
The staggered volumes cast shifting shadows that change throughout the day, echoing how crystals deform microscopically under frequency load. This dynamic facade symbolizes Daishinku’s continuous evolution—an architecture that breathes with light, much like the vibration of a quartz oscillator.
The design integrates IoT-based production lines and data visualization systems within a spatially open layout. Transparency between work zones and research areas promotes innovation and efficient feedback loops. This coexistence of precision engineering and human creativity reflects the future of smart manufacturing environments.
The lighting follows circadian rhythm principles—color temperature shifts from 3000K in the morning to 5000K during active hours, returning to warmer tones toward evening. This gradual modulation supports biological alignment, enhances concentration, and reduces fatigue. The system merges biophilic design with scientific precision, fostering both health and productivity.
Located adjacent to the existing Central Laboratory, the new headquarters establishes a seamless operational flow. The alignment of circulation and logistics routes allows research outcomes to be directly applied to production. This physical proximity reinforces intellectual synergy—transforming two facilities into a single, integrated innovation ecosystem.
Exterior materials were selected to manipulate light reflection similar to the refractive behavior of quartz. The use of finely ridged aluminum panels and matte glass diffuses light gently, creating layered luminosity. This interplay of reflection and diffusion reinforces the architectural metaphor of a crystal structure at macro scale.
As both headquarters and production facility, the building required a single identity. The stacked crystal form became the unifying language—expressing corporate solidity while maintaining lightness. Office transparency and factory precision coexist under one geometric order, symbolizing the alignment of creativity and technology.
Receiving the Gold A’ Design Award validated the project’s ambition to merge science and architecture. It reaffirmed that industrial facilities can transcend functionality to express corporate philosophy. This recognition motivates me to continue designing architecture that translates invisible technologies into spatial and emotional experiences.
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