About Yurica
Design & Architecture

Yurika Takemura, Founder and Chief Architecht

Organized by Yurica Design & Architecture.

Lisense First-class architect (JPN)

Based in Nara, Tokyo and overseas (SanFrancisco), the firm is inspired by the reinterpretation of history and existing things, fusing them with technology to open the way to the future, aiming for a way of architecture that is in harmony with nature.

▶︎Portfolio2026

Yurica Design & Architecture is an architectural practice based in Nara, Japan, with an international practice in San Francisco, USA, led by architect Yurika Takemura.

The studio explores architecture as a living relationship between people, place, history, and nature. Rather than treating buildings as static objects, it approaches architecture as a continuous process of weaving together memories, landscapes, materials, and future possibilities.

Guided by the philosophy of "Open Nostalgia," the practice seeks to open existing environments and collective memories toward the future. By reinterpreting historical contexts, local cultures, and materials through contemporary technologies, the studio creates architecture that continues to evolve through time and human interaction rather than remaining fixed upon completion.

Working across architecture, spatial installations, and artistic research, Yurica Design & Architecture investigates new possibilities for space, place, and material beyond conventional disciplinary boundaries. The practice aims to create immersive spatial experiences that engage the senses, reveal invisible relationships, and foster meaningful connections between people and their environments.

Rooted in the belief that architecture should coexist with nature, each project responds carefully to its site while uncovering the latent value of local history and culture. By integrating tradition with innovation, the studio aspires to create places that resonate across generations—architecture that not only endures for a century, but also contributes to shaping the future identity of the communities in which it stands.

Born in Nara Prefecture (1991)

Graduated from Ritsumeikan University, Graduate School of Environmental and Urban Design (2017)

Selected as one of the 20 groups of excellent young architects for Expo 2025 Osaka/Kansai (2022)

Awarded the Grand Prize and the 20th Anniversary Special Award at the Festival des Architectures Vives 2026, Montpellier, France. (2026)

Awarded the Architectural Institute of Japan Design Consultation Excellence Award (2018)

Grand Prize, Ohgo Honjin Renovation Design Competition (2017) and many others.

Yurica Design & Architecture主宰. 一級建築士

yuricadesign一級建築士事務所株式会社代表取締役

奈良/東京と海外(SanFrancisco)を拠点に歴史や既にあるものへの再解釈を着想にテクノロジーと融合させ未来にひらき、自然と共にある建築の在り方を目指しています。

奈良県出身 (1991年）

近畿大学建築学部環境都市デザイン学科卒業（2015年）

立命館大学スタジオデザインプログラム Monash University（オーストラリア）との半期共同研究スタジオを修了（2016年）

立命館大学大学院理工学研究科環境都市専攻建築都市デザインコース卒業（2017年）

大手建築デザイン会社にて学生寮やホテルの設計を担当（2017-2022年）

大阪・関西万博若手建築家優秀若手提案者20組に選出（2022年）

YuricaDesign&Architecture設立（2022年）

yuricadesign一級建築士事務所株式会社設立（2025年）

Festival de Architecture Vives2026（南仏モンペリエにおけるいきた建築祭）において最優秀賞・20周年記念特別賞を受賞。（2026年）

日本建築学会設計協議優秀賞受賞（2018年）

淡河本陣リノベーションデザインコンペ最優秀賞（2017年）他多数。

News · Exhibitions · Architecture

V2com｜Our Grand Prize-winning installation from Montpellier was featured by the global architecture media platform V2com. (Aug. 2026)
Festival des Architectures Vives 2026｜1st Prize Award
Our award-winning installation for Festival des Architectures Vives (FAV) 2026 was featured on the festival's official website. (Jun. 2026)
ArchDaily ｜ArchDaily featured the Festival des Architectures Vives (FAV) 2026 and our installation as part of its festival coverage. (Jun. 2026)
ADF Web Magagine｜Our installation for Festival des Architectures Vives (FAV) 2026 in Southern France was featured by ADF Web Magazine. (Jun. 2026)
Festival des Architectures Vives 2026｜Selected as one of 13 emerging architectural teams worldwide for Festival des Architectures Vives (FAV) 2026, a renowned architecture festival in Southern France. (Jan. 2026)
Trace of Earth, our architectural project incorporating Zannen-ishi (forgotten foundation stones), opened at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. (Apr.–Oct. 2025)
Selected for Emerging Architecture, Own Ways, the 40th Anniversary Exhibition at TOTO GALLERY・MA. (Jul.–Oct. 2025)
Press release published for our architectural project at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. (Aug. 2024)
Exhibited Expo Architecture at Tokyo Creative Salon Marunouchi 2024. (Mar. 2024)
Selected as one of 20 emerging architects for architectural facilities at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan. (Aug. 2022)

Publications

新建築｜Featured in Shinkenchiku, December 2025 issue. (Dec. 2025 / Japan)
Arketipo｜Featured in the Italian architecture magazine Arketipo. (Aug.2025 / Italy)
商店建築｜Featured in Shotenkenchiku, August 2025 issue. (Aug. 2025/ Japan)
CasaBRUTUS｜ Featured in Casa BRUTUS, June 2025 issue, Expo & Architecture. (May 2025/ Japan)
Pen ｜Featured in Pen, special issue Rediscovering Osaka. (Apr. 2025/ Japan)

Education · Research · Jury

KOYASAN STUDIO / 2025–2035 Co-Founder & Co-Director
Jury Member Timber Utilization Competition Jury Member
Kenchiku Shinjin-sen Guest Lecturer Kindai University
Guest Lecturer Ritsumeikan University
Guest Lecturer Kindai University

Lectures · Talks

Speaker at "The Future of Architecture with Emerging Architects", held in conjunction with the Norihisa Kawashima Exhibition at Nihonbashi House. (Oct. 2025)
Speaker at EXPO DESIGN TALK #21: Young Architects at Expo 2025, part of the Expo Design Exhibition. (Oct. 2025)
Co-organized and spoke at Public Archaeology and the Future through Expo and Zannen-ishi: Crossing Architecture, Archaeology, and Anthropology. (Oct. 2025)
Speaker at the Creative Talk on community development through the revitalization of JR Miwa Station. (Oct. 2025)
Speaker at TOTO GALLERY・MA, Play & Enjoy. (Aug. 2025)
Speaker at the JIA Symposium, Expo and the Future of Architecture with Emerging Architects. (Aug. 2025)
Presented at the joint symposium between HAN University of Applied Sciences and Kindai University at the Netherlands Pavilion, Expo 2025 Osaka. (May 2025)
Guest speaker on Expo Radio. (Apr. 2025)
Speaker at the 7th KENDAN, Young Architects of Expo 2025 Osaka. (Jan. 2025)
Jury member for the Timber Utilization Competition. (Jan. 2025)
Guest lecture at the College of Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University. (Oct. 2024)
Guest lecture at the Faculty of Architecture, Kindai University. (Sep. 2024)
Speaker at Osaka University Nakanoshima Center: Can Stone Have Life? Imagining the Future through an Expo Pavilion. (Sep. 2024)
Panel discussion with architects Yuko Nagayama and Kei Sasaki on the future of Expo architecture after the Expo. (May 2024)
Organized Expo 2025, Architecture and Digital: From Competition Proposal to Built Reality at FabCafe Kyoto. (Feb. 2024)