Kokuyo is accepting registration and submissions for its international competition for 2020, the Kokuyo Design Award — themed: ♡.
The reading of “♡” is deliberately not defined. How to read and interpret this symbol is completely up to the applicant to decide. Kokuyo would like you to allow your imagination to flow as freely as possible as you think about the expectations contained within “♡”.
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.
This is a 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.
Any stationery, furniture or tool used in working, learning and living scenes are eligible. As all tools used in everyday life are eligible, and not just stationery and furniture which are Kokuyo’s main product categories, the organizers expect more flexible ideas.
Submissions are evaluated based on these evaluation criteria:
- Interpretation of the theme
- Perfection of design and idea
- Potential to become a product
For the 2020 competition the organizers hope to see more flexible and bolder designs in comperison to previous years. They look forward to seeing amazing, intuitive and inspiring works that transform what we think of as “normal”.
Last year, a total of 1,289 entries from product designers in more than 46 countries, were submitted in the competition.
