421 Students Worldwide Thrilled! 274 Gather in Komono, Mie for Student Design Competition Where Winning Entry Will Actually Be Built

House Craft Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Komono, Mie District, Mie Prefecture; President and CEO: Shinji Endo), a custom home builder operating primarily in Mie Prefecture, held an on-site briefing and inspection tour for the first 'CRAFT the FUTURE - Student Design Competition 2026' targeted at architecture students nationwide. The event took place on Saturday, May 16, and Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Komono, Mie Prefecture.

■ Overview and Participation Record of the First 'CRAFT the FUTURE Student Design Competition 2026'
In an unusual project for a local builder where the winning work is 'built as an actual model house', a total of 237 groups and 421 individuals entered from across the country. On the day of the event, 274 students gathered on-site from as far north as Hokkaido to as far south as Kyushu, concluding with great success.

■ Why Young Talents Nationwide Resonated with a Local Builder's Challenge
The biggest feature of this competition is that the design idea selected for the top prize does not end as a mere drawing or model, but is 'built as an actual model house in Komono'.
This project, which fulfills the dream of students to have 'the house I thought so hard about remain in society as real architecture', quickly spread among architecture students nationwide via social media and other channels. As a result, an unprecedented number of entries—a total of 237 groups and 421 individuals—flooded in from prestigious universities, graduate schools, and vocational schools across the country, including the University of Tokyo, Tokyo University of the Arts, Waseda, Keio, Kyoto University, Osaka University, and Nagoya Institute of Technology.

■ Heated On-Site Inspection Tour Using 4 Large Buses
In this competition, participation in the on-site briefing is mandatory so that students can experience the climate and atmosphere of the land firsthand and incorporate it into their designs. Over the two days of May 16 and 17, a total of 274 students visited Komono, Mie Prefecture.
On the day, a large-scale inspection tour was conducted using 4 chartered large buses, visiting three locations: 'Komono Gallery (5 buildings)', 'Endo Architecture Kur Hills (2 buildings)', and 'the planned site (vacant lot) where the winning competition work will actually be built'.
With notepads and tape measures in hand, students earnestly checked the actual dimensions of the land, how the sunlight enters, and the scenery of Komono's rich mountains, greedily searching for design hints to imagine future lifestyles.

■ 'Overwhelming Construction Quality' That Astonished Aspiring Professionals
During the inspection tour, the most surprising comments from the participating students were regarding the 'high construction quality and beauty of details' of the houses built by House Craft.
"I have never seen such beautiful solid wood flooring with such narrow gaps."
"The quality of the custom woodwork with attention to detail is wonderful."
"Are all the houses built with this high quality!?"
"If I win first place in the competition, it will be built with this quality!"
During the tour, what surprised the students most was House Craft's overwhelming 'construction quality'.
By coming into contact with professional craftsmanship that only students specializing in architecture would notice, it became a time when the students' motivation and passion for the competition reached its peak.

■ 'CRAFT the FUTURE Networking Event' Transcending School and Regional Boundaries
After the inspection, a networking event was held at 'Nihon Ryori Fujimasa', a long-established restaurant in Komono, with participating students invited free of charge. A total of 143 students participated over the two days (80 on May 16, 63 on May 17), creating a large-scale social gathering of 171 people in total, including company employees.
Peers of the same generation from all over the country engaged in lively architectural discussions across school and regional boundaries, and spoke passionately with House Craft staff.
Many commented, "Even if I am not selected, I cannot wait to see what kind of house will be built on this land," making it a place that provided new perspectives and stimuli for the young people who will lead the next generation.

■ Moving to the Next Stage of Envisioning Future Lifestyles
House Craft will fully support the challenges of young talents who will lead the future of the architectural world and contribute to the future of the region. This project will proceed to internships in August and final presentations in October, when the students' ideas will finally begin to take shape as 'actual buildings'.
Please look forward to the moment when new housing ideas are born in Komono, Mie Prefecture.