Students Propose 'Architecture That Grows' for Depopulating Regional Cities: 'WHITE NOTE DESIGN AWARD 2026' to be Held in Urasa, Niigata

Shimada Gumi Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minamiuonuma City, Niigata Prefecture; hereinafter 'Shimada Gumi') will hold the architectural design competition 'WHITE NOTE DESIGN AWARD 2026.' This is the second year of the competition, following the successful inaugural event in 2025. The theme this time is 'Architecture That Grows.' Using the actual site (in front of Urasa Station, Minamiuonuma City, Niigata Prefecture) as the stage, we are calling for proposals that include how the space will be used and how people will relate to it 10 years from now. We look forward to proposals for a new station front that emphasize not just the finished form, but the process of growing together with the region and its people over time. The WHITE NOTE DESIGN AWARD is a competition for architecture students hosted by Shimada Gumi, a company rooted in Urasa, Minamiuonuma City, Niigata Prefecture, based on the belief that 'a city's vitality comes from the vitality of the people who live there.' Aiming for urban development that people feel attached to and proud of, Shimada Gumi wants to design the future of Urasa together with the students who will lead the future. Please use your free ideas and creativity to propose a space in front of Urasa Station where people can gather, interact, and create smiles. The attachment born from a city you helped create leads to pride in the city, which in turn energizes people. We aim to create such a virtuous cycle together with students. In this era of depopulation in regional cities, the theme is to question what a new station front should look like, where one can feel 'who they want to meet' by going there. Please propose a future landscape unique to Urasa, taking into account existing regional resources and the surrounding environment. Architectural use and structural type are free.