KUKAN DESIGN AWARD started back in 2019 and is now in its sixth year as the only and the most significant spatial design award in Japan. Its purpose is to discover and evaluate outstanding designs and excellent designers across the globe. Showcasing exceptional designs from Japan to the world, it introduces the “power of spatial design.”
There will be 12 award categories for candidate works this year. Award types include the “Longlist” for projects nominated for the second round, “Shortlist” for projects nominated for the third round, “Gold, Silver, and Bronze Prize” for works selected from each category, as well as the “KUKAN OF THE YEAR 2024 / Nikkei Inc Award,” which is equivalent to the Grand Prix, selected in the final round from the gold prize works. Additionally, “Sustainable Space of the Year” will be awarded to projects with significant consideration given to sustainability. “Jury’s Special Prize,” selected by special judges in the third round, will also be newly presented.
KUKAN DESIGN AWARD has continued its partnership agreement since 2021 with Germany’s iF Design Award, founded by iF International Forum Design GmbH, and plans to continue this year. As a result of this partnership agreement, the Shortlist winners of KUKAN DESIGN AWARD 2024 will be exempted from the registration fee and pre-selection process for the iF Design Award 2025, allowing them to participate as finalists in the iF Design Award.
*Details regarding the partnership agreement between the KUKAN DESIGN AWARD and the iF Design Award, as well as the benefits at the time of application will be officially announced at a later date.
Applying for KUKAN DESIGN AWARD 2024
All applications are required to be submitted through a designated website.
Application Website: https://kukan.design/
Registration Period: Friday, March 29, 10 am to Wednesday, May 15, 11 pm, 2024 (Japan Time)
Candidate Works (12 categories)
<Group A>
01.Exhibition/Event space
02. Business promotion space
03. Show window/Art space
04.Entertainment space
<Group B>
05. Shop space
06. Food space
07. Commercial complex space
08. Service/Hospitality space
<Group C>
09. Cultural exchange space
10. Public facility/Community space
11. Work space
12. Living space
*Works that have been realized between March 1, 2023 and April 30, 2024 will be eligible.
Award Type:
KUKAN OF THE YEAR 2024 / Nikkei Inc Award
*Projects selected in the final round from the Gold Prize winners (1 to 3 projects)
Gold Prize: 12 projects (selected from each category)
Silver Prize: 12 projects (selected from each category)
Bronze Prize: 12 projects (selected from each category)
Shortlist: projects nominated for the 3rd round
Longlist: projects nominated for the 2nd round
Sustainable Space of the Year: projects with significant consideration given to sustainability
Jury’s Special Prize: projects selected by special judges from the third round
Application guide and other details: to be released on the official website in March
KUKAN DESIGN AWARD 2024 Third and Final Round Jury Members
Special Judges (in random order and titles omitted):
Junji Tanigawa / JTQ Inc. CEO, Space Composer, Branding Producer
Ryu Kosaka / NOMURA Co., Ltd. A.N.D. Creative Director
Astrid Klein / Klein Dytham architecture (KDa), Architect
Ed Ng / AB Concept Principal, Co-founder
Keiji Ashizawa / Keiji Ashizawa Design Founder, Architect
Jun Naito / PARADE Design Firm CEO, Creative Director
Tetsuji Kuroda / UDS Ltd. CEO
* Judges to be added
Judging Committee Chair: Hidehito Izuhara / TANSEISHA Co., Ltd. Space Producer, Chairperson of DSA
Judging Vice Chairman: Shigeru Kubota / Degins JP Inc. President, President of JCD
Attached press release documents:
This press release
Data 1: KUKAN DESIGN AWARD 2024 Logo (Logo designer: Issei Kitagawa / GRAPH Co. Ltd.)
*When resizing the logo, please make sure to not change the thickness of the curves (0.6 pt). For detailed usage instructions, please contact the office below.
Data 2: 3 images of the 2023 KUKAN OF THE YEAR award-winning projects
Project Title: GOLDWIN PLAY EARTH PARK TOYAMA “Wind Playground Equipment”
Recipient: Ryuji Nakamura / Ryuji Nakamura and Associates Inc.
Photographer: Ryuji Nakamura
Project Title: Hoshino Shrine Covered・Main Shrine Designated cultural property of Toyokawa City, Aichi Prefecture)
Recipient: Shigetaka Mochizuki / Mochizuki Corporation, Mochizuki Architectural Design Office
Photographer: Yasuo Hagiwara
Project Title: Sumu Yakushima ～Regenerative Life Studio～
Recipient: Tsukasa Ono / tono Inc.
Photographer: Rui Nishi
*When using the three projects above, please ensure that all three projects are included, not only one.
KUKAN DESIGN AWARD
Organizers: Japan Commercial Environmental Design Association (JCD), Japan Design Space Association (DSA)
Sponsors: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Nikkei (*) *Currently pending
Inquiries on this press release:
KUKAN DESIGN AWARD office (inside JDN office)
https://kukan.design/
