Rikuto Oshima, who completed the Master’s Program in the Graduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology at Okayama University in March 2026, has received the 2026 (37th) Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ) Award for Excellent Master’s Thesis. At the time of presenting his thesis, Oshima was a second-year master’s student in the Architectural Planning Laboratory.

The AIJ Award for Excellent Master’s Thesis recognizes outstanding master’s theses in the field of architecture. Among master’s theses selected from universities and other institutions across Japan, only those considered particularly outstanding receive the award. In 2026, just 15 theses nationwide were selected, making this a highly competitive and prestigious award.

Under the supervision of Associate Professor Hirohumi Hori of the Architectural Planning Laboratory, Faculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology (Engineering), Mr. Oshima conducted research on the Assessment Calculation for Individual Levy Payers of PBID in California, US. His study focused on the process of determining individual assessment including boundary setting, quantifying the general benefit, and special benefit. The significance and achievements of his research were highly evaluated, leading to this award.

Reflecting on the award, Mr. Oshima said,
“As a senior, I applied for the 2024 (35th) Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ) Award, but unfortunately, I didn’t win. At that time, I made up my mind that I would win the 2026 (37th) Architectural Institute of Japan (AIJ) Award with my master’s thesis. Now, I am truly happy because I finally achieved the goal that I had been working toward. I am grateful to Professor Hori, who always understood my passion for my research and supported me throughout the process.”

Associate Professor Hori commented on Oshima’s achievement, saying,
“I believe this is the fruit of Mr. Oshima's a lot of effort. During his master's program, he authored as many as five peer-reviewed papers. I have fond memories of conducting field research and interviews together in Los Angeles and San Francisco.”

Related Articles
・2026 AIJ Awards for Outstanding Undergraduate and Master's Theses: List of Award Recipients (article in Japanese)
・From the Local Community to the World, and Bringing Global Knowledge Back to the Community: The Hori Laboratory's Initiatives to Transform the Community (article in Japanese)
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Contact information
Hirofumi Hori, Ph.D.
Associate Professor,
Faculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University,
Architecture and urban spatial planning lab

E-mail：hirofumihori◎okayama-u.ac.jp
　　　　*Note: ◎ is used in place of @.