[First Award] "Setagaya UMA Cafe" Receives Excellence Award at CLT OF THE YEAR 2025!

CLT OF THE YEAR 2025 has awarded an Excellence Award to "Setagaya UMA Cafe," designed, constructed, and supervised by AD&DC Inc. (President: Koji Arakawa / Headquarters: Setagaya-ku, Tokyo), a franchise network member of "Japan CLT Research Institute" operated by Life Design Kabaya Inc. (President and CEO: Kentaro Kubota / Headquarters: Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture) with the aim of promoting the use of domestically produced CLT in architecture.

<Garage house UMA Completion Photo>

Award Ceremony Scene

◆June 8, 2026 (Mon) in Tokyo

◆Left: Koichiro Nakajima, Representative Director of the Japan CLT Association / Right: Kazunori Fujimoto, Executive Manager of our company

Japan CLT Research Institute is the headquarters of the franchise network established by Life Design Kabaya in April 2018, aiming to contribute to a sustainable society through CLT architecture. Through a network of approximately 60 member companies nationwide, we have been involved in a total of 65 CLT construction projects in 38 prefectures and territories (*as of June 2026).

We provide member companies with technical support for CLT construction, supply of building materials such as CLT panels and original hardware, and structural calculation services using our proprietary structural calculation system, working to expand the use of CLT and realize high-quality wooden architecture.

▼About Japan CLT Research Institute

https://nc-labo.jp/

Our original LC-core construction method ensures high seismic resistance while also offering design flexibility by reducing the number of CLT panels used compared to general CLT panel construction methods. It is particularly adept at creating large spaces in non-residential buildings.

▼About LC-core Construction Method

https://nc-labo.jp/knowhow/about-us/

"Setagaya UMA Cafe," which received the Excellence Award this time, was built using our new CLT construction method for small urban sites, "LC-gate construction method," developed by our organization. Unlike the large spaces in spacious sites that our organization has excelled at with the LC-core construction method, this project was planned for a site area of 61.69m2 (18.6 tsubo) with a frontage of 5.1m in an urban area. This is the first building constructed using the LC-gate method.

▼Press Release on the Development of the LC-gate Construction Method and Completion of This Building

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000028.000035877.html

<Pre-verification of waterproof performance of preset CLT exterior walls> <Erection Process 1>

<Erection Process 2> <Erection Process 3>

<Construction Simulation Diagram using BIM>

At CLT OF THE YEAR, where the judging emphasizes how the characteristics of CLT are utilized rather than the amount or proportion of CLT used, this building was recognized for establishing a construction method for CLT architecture in urban narrow sites.

▼Jury's Comments (Full Text)

Its significance as an urban dissemination model that achieved CLT construction efficiently and in a short construction period under the constraints of urban narrow sites was recognized. It established a rational construction method for urban areas by achieving a short construction period of only 7 days for erection, as well as utilizing pre-finished exterior wall panels and minimizing scaffolding. It was evaluated as an excellent example of urban architecture that comprehensively utilizes the characteristics of CLT.

▼CLT OF THE YEAR 2025 Results Page

https://clt-oftheyear.com/result

This is the first time Life Design Kabaya has received an award at CLT OF THE YEAR. We aim to revitalize the Japanese forestry industry through the utilization of domestic timber by expanding the use of CLT not only in detached houses but also in non-residential buildings, and to contribute to the realization of a decarbonized society (carbon neutrality).

<Project Overview>

Project Name: Garage house UMA New Construction Project, Setagaya-ku, UMA 5-chome

Project Location: 5-40-14 UMA, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

Use: Store

Construction Method/Structure: CLT Method (Thin-walled Frame Structure)

Number of Floors: 2

Site Area: 61.69m2 (18.6 tsubo)

Building Area: 47.66m2 (14.4 tsubo)

Total Floor Area: 95.32m2 (28.8 tsubo)

CLT Usage: 42.34m3 (pre-processing product volume), 38.00m3 (post-processing building usage volume)

CLT Specifications: Walls (210mm thick / 5-layer 7-ply / Mx90A-5-7 / Hinoki-Sugi HB) - Floors (36mm thick / 3-layer 3-ply / Mx60-3-3 / Sugi) - Roof (36mm thick / 3-layer 3-ply / Mx60-3-3 / Sugi)

Construction Period: November 1, 2022 - April 2023 (6 months)

Design and Construction: AD&DC Inc.

▼AD&DC Inc. (https://www.adandc.jp/)

Headquarters: 9-2-4 Kitakarasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

President: Koji Arakawa

Established: 1997

TEL: 03-5315-3519

▼About Life Design Kabaya (https://lifedesign-kabaya.co.jp/)

Life Design Kabaya has achieved "No. 1 for 5 consecutive years in the Chugoku Block (FY2020-2024, number of low-rise housing starts)" and "No. 1 for 9 consecutive years in Okayama Prefecture (FY2016-2024, number of low-rise housing starts)" (according to Housing Industry Research Institute).

Our company is a housing company established in Okayama in 1972, and currently has sales bases in Okayama, Hiroshima, Kagawa, Ehime, Hyogo, Tottori, Fukuoka, Okinawa, and Tokyo. (https://lifedesign-kabaya.co.jp/company/summary/) Beyond the housing business, we are broadly involved in new building materials using domestic timber such as CLT, real estate, remodeling, exterior, overseas business, and special construction projects.

▼Company Overview

Company Name: Life Design Kabaya Inc.

Established: December 1, 1972

President and CEO: Kentaro Kubota

Headquarters: 2-9-11 Nakasendo, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture, 700-0064

▼Business Activities

Business related to contracting and construction of architectural work / Franchise chain business related to the above business / Business related to design and construction supervision of buildings / Business related to design, contracting, construction, and supervision of civil engineering work / Business related to design, contracting, construction, and supervision of remodeling and exteriors / Business related to buying, selling, and brokerage of real estate / Business related to management and consulting of real estate / Business related to power generation through wind, solar, geothermal energy, and supply of electricity and heat / Cleaning business / Security business / Non-life insurance agency business and life insurance solicitation business / All businesses incidental and related to the preceding items.