KOKUYO DESIGN AWARD 2021

Even though the idea of origami is common, the unique structure of creating a box-shaped bottom is fresh and the logo design also has features that's unique to this design. It stretches our imagination and demonstrates possibilities of it being developed into various forms, such as a printed version and ones in different sizes. Rather than stopping at use for desks, it would also be fun to place many of them at hair salons or nail salons.

When evaluating the novelty of the idea, the beauty of the design, and the strength for commercial launches, this design fulfilled all of them. It also fitted the theme and is sustainable in terms of materials and distribution. The idea of origami has existed from long ago. But it's not just about folding—it also has a beautiful form. The folding system is also excellent, so I think we can develop it into chairs and furniture by upsizing it.

Out of 1,401 entries, this design shone through from the beginning. I highly valued its idea, quality, and possibilities to be expanded and developed. It was the design all the judges wanted to "appreciate." Beyond its beautiful shape, I was surprised to know in the final presentation that this idea was inspired by "moving homes," the changes of life. I hope this design will be a proposal for thinking about lifestyles in the future, going beyond borders.

Using paper as a material often makes the actual product appear less well developed than you expected. However, the quality and shape of this design were far more beautiful than I expected. The designers' skills were demonstrated not only in the quality of design, texture, and color, but also in how well developed the design is, which was reached through a repeated process of trial and error to pursue commercial launches. Paper is cheaper than other materials, so it can be delivered to more people. I thought the way of creating new values in materials that were not so special was also fresh.

When I first saw this entry in the Initial Judging, I didn't think much of it because there are many products out there that you make by folding paper. However, when I actually assembled it, I understood how amazing this work was, realizing how carefully the shape was thought out. It had a sturdy, solid shape and the back side was also clean. It was stable in every aspect, and I felt the possibility of developing it into a variety of things.

When I actually assembled it, I found it to be very well thought out. I'd like to give it a commercial launch, and also hope that we can come up with other applications besides the desktop organizer together.

It's my second-most liked award-winning work. It's a conceptual design that changes our previous perception of pencils. I also liked that the product itself was giving a message. There's still a room for improvement, so I think it'll be improved through the development with KOKUYO.

It expresses truly subtle variations and the hurdles for turning it into a commercial product seemed high, so at first I thought it would be difficult. But as we went through the judging process, I gradually felt that I want to use it. I'd like to experience how my consciousness toward the hardness and density of the lead would change.

We see proposals for pencils frequently, but I liked it because it combined three features: the hardness and density of the lead, and how it's gripped. It'll be very difficult to make 16 kinds of pencils, but if we do make them into a product, we would be able to offer an experience that will appeal to people's sensations.

This entry didn't hit home with me in the Initial Judging. But after knowing that it was targeted for children who learn about circumference and other diagrams, it made sense. I understood the meaning and fun of giving the digital natives hands-on opportunities to experiment when they quantify the world.

The shape was beautiful, but when I first looked at the work, I wasn't sure how you'd use it I think the age range could be much lower, and it could be something you can play with without knowing the concept of measuring. The designer succeeded in breaking down the functions of a caliper and designing tools for each element, so it would've been even better if he could widen his options beyond a caliper.

I thought in the Initial Judging that this work was ordinary and boring. But after listening to the presentation for the Final Judging, I thought it was ordinary, but also really nice that the designer paid careful attention to details and designed things that people won't notice, so I evaluated the reality of the design.

The designer interpreted a water bottle as a piece of stationery, which was a fresh point of view. Because the presentation and prototype were very polished, I wanted him to challenge himself more as to how he can bring out the originality as a KOKUYO product from his current design.

The concept was easy to understand and also evaluated in terms of marketing. When KOKUYO actually develops it as a product, it seems necessary to consider how we would make the inside of the bottle in particular, including how we would differentiate it from existing products.