Nozomi Nakabayashi grew up in Tokyo, Japan, where her interests in architecture and landscape design developed through observing people's everyday lives and nature. Her practice motto is: “The role of design is to connect the everyday lives of everyone with nature.” Growing up in a home constructed of timber and earth fostered her seminal connection with natural building materials.
Nozomi established her practice following her Master of Architecture project, which involved the design and construction of a timber-built "Big Shed" at the Architectural Association's woodland campus, Hooke Park, in Dorset, UK. This was followed by her first built project, Hut on Stilts, a small off-grid timber house in a woodland, made from renewable, recycled and breathable building materials.
Her design approach is both research-oriented and hands-on. She believes that solutions emerge from direct engagement with materials and nature. Her seven years of experience in public architecture, landscape, and play design projects at Erect Architecture in London further reinforced her belief that design should serve the everyday lives of everyone.
“Life is about learning and playing” is central to her pursuits which connect hands, mind and nature. Beyond architecrure and landscape design, her ongoing practices include playing and making the oud, playing the daf, Kung Fu and Qi Gong, growing plants, utilising natural building materials and understanding soil ecology.
PRESS/PUBLICATIONS/AWARDS/WORKSHOPS/RESEARCH
2024 “Ways of Improving Soil Ecology Workshop” at Bethnal Green Nature Reserve in London, UK
2023 Participation in Lime and Clay Plaster Workshop for a strawbale-built school learning space from School of Natural Building in London UK
2023 Participation in Clay Plaster Workshop for a strawbale-built assembly space at Building Baladi in Lebanon
2023 Research of vernacular natural building and construction methods of houses in Labanon (Learning from an ethnologist, photographer and the leading researcher on vernacular building typology Houda Kassatly)
2023 Research of the effect of cemement led infrastructural system on water resources and agriculture in Duhok, Kurdistan Iraq
2022 Workshop participation in Japanese lime and clay plaster at Pamimomi Okayama, Japan
2018 The Anatomy of Treehouses: Stylish Hideaways and Retreats by Jane Field-Lewis
2017 Le liège dans l'architecture, le design, la mode et l'art, BOU-GE
2017 Reclaimed Living, Prestel
2016 Communal Knowledge at Work, The Showroom
2016 The Hinterland, Gestalten
2016 AJ Small Projects Award - Shortlist
2015 Backyard Boltholes, Wallpaper Magazine
2015 My Hole and Corner, Hole&Corner
2015 AA Conversations, Architectural Associations
2014 The Bio Base Seminar, MakingLewes
STUDIES
Lifetime Student of Music, Movement, Nature and Design - EARTH
Master of Architecture - Architectural Association (Design & Make program) - U.K.
Bachelor of Architecture - Rice School of Architecture - U.S.A.