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Kokuyo Design Award 2021

Registrations and submissions are now being accepted for the Kokuyo Design Award 2021 international competition — themed: Post-Normal.

The Kokuyo Design Award is an international competition for user-centric product design, where the best of the best are actually put on the consumer market. The organizers are looking for any and all ideas to turn into actual products.

The best design will be awarded with 2,000,000 Japanese yen — more than $18,000. Three Merit awards of 500,000 Japanese yen each, will also be announced and special prizes may as well be awarded.

Details about the theme for 2021 are available on the official website.

The world became new while we were totally unprepared for it. Before we are given time to think carefully about things, what we like, dislike, agree with, disagree with, our once-familiar everyday life continues to change. So we try to catch up with the changes, and in our rush many ideas spring up and disappear.

What’s important in product design now is to try to face the things around us anew. To take a deep look at the value of continuing to be lastingly and broadly loved. To end not only with an idea, but to think through every detail, to be persistent, and give shape to a product.

Any stationery, furniture or tool used in working, learning and living scenes is eligible for submission.

Submissions will be evaluated based on these three evaluation criteria:

  1. The design’s interpretation of the theme
  2. The design’s level of completion
  3. The design’s potential to become a product

Last year, the competition received a total of 1,377 entries from designers in more than 54 countries.