Kokuyo Design Award 2027 is now open for entries!
Kokuyo Design Award 2027, international product design competition organised by KOKUYO aiming to gather and commercialize designs from a wide range of users in the general public that are excellent from the perspective of those using them.
Short description
The Kokuyo Design Award Kokuyo 2027 now is opened for entries accepting registration and submissions internationally!
The Kokuyo Design Award, organised by KOKUYO Group is an international product design competition that’s all about imagining and creating the future together. It gathers proposals from all around the world, and turns outstanding entries into commercial products.
The theme for 2027, “dialogue.” invites participants to explore original ideas that have the potential to lead to significant advancements in product design.
The KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2027 will accept submissions based on the theme of “dialogue.” This theme focuses on the reciprocal relationships that lie behind excellent design, specifically between “the people who create objects, and the users,” “the users and the objects,” and “the objects and their surrounding environment.” Under this year’s theme, “dialogue,” we are seeking designs that explore unknown ideas and insights within this new “space” and expand the possibilities of living, learning, and working.
Any stationery, furniture or tool used in working, learning and living scenes is eligibile.
Participants are encouraged to think beyond traditional boundaries and conceptualize products that could shape the future of work, learning, and living environments. The competition emphasizes the importance of prototypes not merely as unfinished products but as foundational ideas that can inspire and catalyze future developments.
Any stationery, furniture or tool used in working, learning and living scenes is eligible for entry. Submissions must be the original work of the entrant and must have not been made public (in Japan or overseas) before or concurrent to this contest. Multiple submissions are allowed.
Submissions will be evaluated based on these evaluation points:
➜ The idea is inspired by your unique perspective.
➜ The idea engages with a social issue.
➜ The idea has potential for real-world production.
The New Generation Award is selected by Kokuyo from all submitted works by students (elementary school to graduate students), with the hope that they will achieve great things in the future.
Eligibility
This competition is open worldwide to any corporations, organizations, individuals and group (up to two individuals for group entries).
Benefits
The best design will be awarded with ¥2,000,000 (about $13,000). Three Merit awards of ¥500,000 each, will also be selected, along with up to 10 winners for the New Generation Award, awarded with ¥30,000 each.
Entry fees
The competition is free to enter.
