The capital of photographic culture, Higashikawa is a picturesque rural area nestled near the Daisetsuzan mountain range and blessed with pristine natural springs. Amid the current need to reassess the values and potentials of local regions, the city has begun collaborating with architect Kengo Kuma — who is dedicated to using architecture to enhance rural beauty — to launch a new program introducing diverse lifestyles along with architecture and interior design.
For many years, Higashikawa has run a unique series of programs that only a small locality with a furniture production industry like itself could implement. It began with the project “Kimi no Isu – Your Chair”, aimed at bringing hometown affection and care to children born there through chairs. When entering elementary school, children learn in schools furnished mainly with wooden interiors. After finishing middle school, they take home a wooden chair that accompanied them through their three years as a graduation gift. This annual program has now evolved into a new phase — training the next generation who will carry society forward.
Architect Kengo Kuma advocates architecture that honors the beauty of rural areas. He strives to build communities through architecture by maximizing local resources and prioritizing future generations’ education. Given Higashikawa’s steadily growing population, abundant natural resources, and well-developed furniture production, the city decided to collaborate with Kuma to build new lifestyles for the community.
Purpose of the Competition
Higashikawa city is one of the key furniture production centers for the Asahikawa furniture brand in Hokkaido. Therefore, the goal is to seek KAGU design models that promote refined new lifestyles for the younger generation who will shoulder the future.
In Japanese, KAGU (家具) means “furniture,” referring to daily life objects that have a special connection to the surrounding world. People use many objects daily, but often are unaware of their full production process or how they are meant to be used.
We recognize that a lifestyle that neglects valuing and respecting objects, seeks quick results without effort, and fails to reflect thoughtfully can lead to undesirable consequences.
We hope this KAGU design competition will help unleash potential ideas that have not yet been explored and foster the development of new valuable lifestyles for the future.
Competition Details
Theme: “Furniture Close to Animals”
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Entries must comply with registration rules, laws, and be original works designed by the applicants themselves.
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Entries must be original, unpublished designs (final projects or graduation theses are acceptable).
Message from Kengo Kuma, Chief Judge of the KAGU Design Competition “Kengo Kuma & Higashikawa”
“There are many different animal species living in Higashikawa’s rich natural environment. At Asahiyama Zoo, world-famous animal exhibitions provide many opportunities to learn how to coexist with animals. I believe there are objects that are not only for humans but also necessary for animals. I hope contestants freely imagine and create unique and novel furniture pieces.”
Eligibility
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Students currently enrolled in educational institutions worldwide, under 30 years old at the application deadline.
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Group entries are allowed if all members meet the age and enrollment requirements.
Entry Limits
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Each individual or group may submit only one entry.
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No multiple submissions by the same individual or participation in multiple groups is allowed.
Entry Fee
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Free of charge.
Submission Format
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Designs must be presented on A3-sized horizontal sheets (single-sided) including: title, design concept, explanation, sketches, diagrams, CG images, photos of models, etc. (PDF format).
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Language: English or Japanese.
Contact
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For inquiries, contact the Organizing Committee at official@kagu-higashikawa.jp.
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Include your full name and contact information.
Submission Period
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From November 1, 2024 (Friday) to 12:00 noon December 30, 2024 (Monday), Japan Time.
Required Documents
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Entry design (PDF) as described above.
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Proof of student status (e.g., student ID or certificate), submitted in PDF, JPEG, or GIF formats, max 1MB each. For group entries, proof is required for all members.
Important Notes
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Entries must not contain any information identifying the applicant.
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Maximum file size: 3MB for design, 1MB for proof documents.
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Registration requires the email used during application and a password sent by the organizers.
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Please ensure your email provider can receive emails from the organizers (@gmail.com recommended; domains like @mail.ru, @bk.ru, etc. are not accepted).
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Confirm receipt of registration confirmation email (check spam if not received).
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After submission deadline, entries cannot be changed or withdrawn.
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All costs related to model creation are borne by contestants.
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If illustrations potentially infringe third-party rights, applicants must obtain permission.
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Entries infringing copyrights will be disqualified, and prize awards revoked if applicable.
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Organizers are not responsible for disputes regarding intellectual property.
Judging
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Judges will select 10 finalists by mid-February 2025.
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Finalists will be contacted directly and results posted on the official website.
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Final judging will consider both design and presentation (max 5 minutes).
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Models with scale from 1:5 to 1:1 must be submitted by finalists (materials optional, models not returned).
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Attendance at the award ceremony in Higashikawa (March 29, 2025) is required for prize winners.
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Travel and accommodation costs for finalists will be covered by organizers (group participation may limit invites to representatives).
Awards
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Grand Prize (Kengo Kuma Award): 1 prize, 500,000 JPY
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Excellence Award: 3 prizes, 100,000 JPY each
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Honorable Mention: 6 prizes
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The 10 finalists participate in the final judging and award ceremony.
Jury Members
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Chief Judge: Kengo Kuma (Architect, Honorary Professor, University of Tokyo)
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Eisuke Tachikawa (Design Strategist)
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Asao Tokoro (Art Researcher)
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Hiroshi Nakamura (Architect, NAP Architecture Office)
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Masahiro Harada (Architect, Shibaura Institute of Technology)
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Katsuhiko Hibino (Painter, Tokyo University of the Arts)
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Teppei Fujiwara (Architect, Yokohama National University)
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Toshiko Mori (Professor, Harvard GSD)
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Noritsugu Oda (Furniture Researcher, Higashikawa City Design Advisor)
Copyright and Usage
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Submitted works (including models) become the property of the organizers and are non-returnable.
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Designers retain copyright and design rights.
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Organizers may use images for exhibitions, publications, websites, and promotional materials without additional permission or fees.
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Commercial production discussions will be held separately with designers.
Disclaimer
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Organizers are not liable for any damage to submitted models except in cases of negligence.
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The schedule and content may change without notice.
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Organizers do not respond to inquiries about judging criteria or results.
Organizers
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Higashikawa City
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Higashikawa Business Association
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Higashikawa Tourism Association
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Higashikawa Agricultural Union
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Higashikawa Construction Union
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Higashikawa Forestry Union
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Higashikawa Development Corporation
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Asahikawa Furniture Industry Association
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Higashikawa City Council
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Higashikawa Board of Education
Contact Information
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Cultural Exchange Room, Higashikawa City
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Phone: +81-166-82-2111
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Email: official@kagu-higashikawa.jp