Able & Partners Sponsors "International Children's Architectural Model Exhibition -One Earth House of Mind-" Supervised by Architect Toyo Ito

Able & Partners (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo) is sponsoring the "International Children's Architectural Model Exhibition -One Earth House of Mind-" to be held in Milan, Italy, from April 21 to 26, 2026. This project is comprehensively supervised by world-renowned architect Toyo Ito and organized by the DESIGN ASSOCIATION Liberal Arts Association. It is an international educational and cultural project involving universities and approximately 100 children from five countries: Japan, Italy, Portugal, Finland, and Sweden. Children will create and exhibit architectural models based on the theme of "House of Mind." As a leading company in the real estate rental industry, Able & Partners Group aims to contribute to society by providing "safe, comfortable, and rich living." They believe that the development of design culture enriches "living" and have supported various art and cultural activities, including design competitions, events, and regional revitalization projects. They hope this initiative, which provides valuable international exchange opportunities for children, will contribute to the development of design culture and "rich living." The project involves workshops with 20 children from each of the five participating countries, where children pair with student teaching assistants to express their "House of Mind" as an architectural model. In April 2026, during "Milan Design Week," the children's "House of Mind" models will connect at the venue in Milan, Italy, forming a symbolic landscape called "PEACE ISLAND." Six architects will also create model works on the same theme, expressing hope for the future through the power of architecture. Participants include Pritzker Prize winners Toyo Ito and Kazuyo Sejima, University of Tokyo Professor Manabu Chiba, and Sou Fujimoto, who designed the large roof ring for the Osaka-Kansai Expo. The Japanese workshop was held from February 21 to 23, 2026, at the University of Tokyo's Hongo Campus. 20 elementary school students selected from across Japan participated, creating models under the guidance of Manabu Chiba (University of Tokyo Professor) and student teaching assistants. On the final day, the children presented their works directly to Toyo Ito. The exhibition name is "International Children's Architectural Model Exhibition," with the theme "One Earth – House of Mind." It will be held from April 21 to 26, 2026, at Superstudio (Via Tortona, 27, 20144 Milano MI, Italy). Participating countries and universities include Japan (University of Tokyo), Italy (Politecnico di Milano), Portugal (ESAD Arte&Design), Sweden (Umeå School of Architecture), and Finland (Aalto University). Approximately 100 children's architectural models will be exhibited. The project is planned and venue structured by Creative Director Kenji Kawasaki, organized by the DESIGN ASSOCIATION Liberal Arts Association, and supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Italian Embassy in Japan.