Awards 2021
Update
Results
The following works were selected from 446 entries.
Total entries ： 446
Finalist works (including award-winning works) ： 11
- * “Finalist works” refers to the works that advanced from the initial screening to the final round of judging.
Award-Winning Works
Grand Prize
1 million yen
『 . to noise 』
Kanki Hara / Naoto Komazawa
Click to watch the video presentation.＞
Comments of the award winners
We tried to accentuate a feeling of slight strangeness. Using a Voronoi diagram, the basic composition is produced. In the motif of the actual wallpaper, strange noises that appeal to viewers are added to give a buzz. We hope the pattern could change people’s movements in a lively way.
Hara: I am in the architectural design field. Through designing a wallpaper this time, I could feel again how important wallpapers are in everyday life. This is because they are so close to our hands.
Komazawa: While designing, I was thinking of how potential wallpapers would be. I hope that I will make good use of this experience in my future architectural career.
Judges’ Comments
- Nao Taniyama
- I felt thrilled by the process of designing. I would like to praise the logical steps in which an analog concept gets fused with a digital handling.
- Ryosuke Uehara
- This work has a potential of producing things in the future. I would like to express my yearning for the method that I could not have imagined myself.
- Yoko Ando
- I felt the unique talent of the designers toward wallpapers, not just through their designing concept but also their fresh pattern making approach. It is safe to say the future of this award event.
- Izumi Okayasu
- This work is based on their flexible crossing between two different horizons. I felt the potential of matching well with walls whatever.
Award for Excellence
500,000 yen
『 Kurikuri Omeme 』
Charoenkijkajorn Possanunt (Pam)
Click to watch the video presentation.＞
Comment of the award winner
I exercised my imagination into this design, not just for a wallpaper but also a canvas for children. Among hosts of dots, there are eye-shaped emojis for children to transform to creatures or add something more. I hope that this wallpaper will be a good memory or memorabilia of families.
Judges’ Comments
- Nao Taniyama
- Based on the naively charming experiences of childhood, this work attracts our nostalgic feel. Round markers available in stationers around the world seem borderless.
- Ryosuke Uehara
- It looks like a wallpaper for children, but not childish nor suited to children only. It is well designed in itself.
- Yoko Ando
- This dream-inspiring work tempts viewers into taking a hand in designing. To get the wallpaper commercialized, why don’t you accompany stickers and pencils?
- Izumi Okayasu
- The work fosters a new relationship between wallpapers and users. With enough scope for users, it gives freedom to do what they want to do.
Judges’ Award
(Taniyama Award)
200,000 yen
『 TWIST black and white 』
Shiho Motozono
Comment of the award winner
I thought that hand-drawn back-and-forth movements would become pleasant decibels in inorganic space. With automatism-induced technique and arbitrary drawing in balance, I tried to create comfortable atmosphere as wallpaper.
Judge’s Comment
- Nao Taniyama
- Still to be a little more sophisticated, but I feel the density of human hands. A sense of tension, caused by parts less than perfect, gives a positive impact.
Judges' Award
(Uehara Award)
200,000 yen
『 up to you 』
Mayumi Hatazawa
Comment of the award winner
Beyond its function and role, the wallpaper was designed not just for walls, whether applied vertically or horizontally, but also for ceilings, artistic panels, etc. The minimalist fluctuating lines are intended to fit in any space, whether in Japanese or Western style.
Judge’s Comment
- Ryosuke Uehara
- The gathering of the bolder lines is against the basics of graphics, but depth can be felt. I think that this concept is the essence of this work.
Judges' Award
(Ando Award)
200,000 yen
『 ochikami 』
Tatsuya Ono
Comment of the award winner
My concept was to show eventuality, possible to anybody, and the material’s characteristics themselves. Watching a video in which origami paper falls freely, I took a cue from the traditional Japanese colors and those of the Henri Matisse paintings. I hope users will feel positive.
Judge’s Comment
- Yoko Ando
- This is a simple, yet beautiful fresh-looking work based on an image of free-falling paper slips. The margins and shadows are balanced in an excellent way. What’s more, there seems to be another space behind.
Judges' Award(Okayasu Award)
200,000 yen
『 SETOUCHI 』
Yuka Nakazaki
Comment of the award winner
A scenic photo of Seto Inland Sea coast was cut for fuzzy line pattern. Different impressions are projected when viewed from different distances. Using the overlapped gradations and lines, I tried to present the distant view and quietness of mountains, sea and sky.
Judge’s Comment
- Izumi Okayasu
- Roundness produced from the diagonal pattern gives rise to warmth and cuteness. Techniques in design and the images of landscape and emotional factors are well matched each other.
The Sangetsu Award was created as a special award that is given to one finalist work.
It is voted on, by the employees at Sangetsu, based on which entry they want to turn into a product.
Sangetsu Award
50,000 yen
『 HYGGE 』
Yoshitaka Yamada
Comment of the award winner
The title comes from the Danish word for comfortable space. The image shows an expansion of space through connecting with others and chatting with others. Three hues of indigo blue, a traditional Japanese color, are employed with the gilt rings shining.
Non-Award-Winning Finalist Works
“Finalist works” refers to the works that advanced from the initial screening to the final round of judging.
Judges’ Review
Nao Taniyama
President and Representative Director of NAO Taniyama & Associates, Creative Director
I have taken notice of the moments in which the way of thinking about wallpapers, or even the handling of design, has been changing. In keep with changing lifestyle thanks to digital technology and because of the pandemic, the approach to design is also fundamentally affected. While reviewing the entries, I was reminded that the trend is irreversible and does not go back in time. With more and more information shared globally, it would be desirable to accentuate new concepts, not the surface beauty and techniques. Many of the award-winning works are highly evaluated from this standpoint of view.
Ryosuke Uehara
Representative of KIGI Co., Ltd., Creative Director/Art Director
The entries are upgraded in whole, according to my sense. At the Preliminary Round anything did not stand out in my memory, but after the video presentation I changed my opinions. Through presentations and question-and-answer session, I noticed different points of view. As a result I was looking deeply at the works. The finalists have such potentials. The Grand Prize work and the Award for Excellence work are contrasting with an interesting difference. The former work was first composed on a computer-aided drafting. The designer’s consciousness is, in a sense, overwritten on the phenomenal composition. Too strong a designer’ personality might adversely affect wallpaper designs. We may be enchanted into something between consciousness and subconsciousness.
Yoko Ando
Representative of Yoko Ando Design Co.,Ltd.,Textile Designer / Coordinator
For the last three years as a judge, I feel now, design concepts have been focused more and more. This may be because the Sangetsu people do not hold this Awards event as a promotional tool, but think themselves as the supplier of wallpaper products. We judge mainly review which space the wallpapers will be used in. Through the final review process, including the presentations, I sense that various approaches are taken. The minds and interests of the applicants are properly expressed and depth is added as a whole. At the final presentations in particular there are many discoveries. I wish all the Sangetsu people watch the presentations.
Izumi Okayasu
President of Izumi Okayasu Lighting Design Office,Lighting Designer
This is my first time to join reviewing. I was a little bit surprised by the diversity of wallpapers. For plane expressions, some people introduce not just graphic design, but also artistic rendition, industrial approach and algorithm. Trying to add spatial and temporal depths on plane surfaces is beyond my imagination. I also have learnt a lot. In my profession, I am usually concerned about colors and lights, not focused on wallpapers. Thinking of where to put my evaluation axis, the many approaches have brought me to higher challenges for reviewing and great fun as well.
Shosuke Yasuda
CEO of Sangetsu Corporation
* Chairman of Judging Committee
This year we have had the fifth Sangetsu Wallpaper Design Awards. Since last year the finalists are requested to make presentations. Listening to their presentations, the judges have new different views. According to the feedback from the judges’ talk session, the Grand Prize went to the “. to noise” that is highly evaluated for its design techniques. The high mark from that standpoint seems to be the first time. In effect the Design Awards event is intended to appeal to young people, especially those who are not in the wallpaper business. With this point in mind, I believe that we have had good results this year too. In the past, some Grand Prize- and Award for Excellence-winning works have been commercialized. We are very pleased that they are recognized on the market. We will continue the Awards event and hope that there will be lots of entries in the future.
Event Report
December 12, 2021
The final round of judging and award ceremony were held on December 12, 2021.
Short movie of final round of judging and award ceremony
Reports on final review session and awards ceremony
On December 22, 2021, the final review session and awards ceremony of Sangetsu Wallpaper Design Awards 2021 were held at the Sangetsu Shinagawa Showroom. Like last year, we took great care against the Covid-19 pandemic and kept the programs and attendees limited for extra safety.
We welcomed also Mr. Izumi Okayasu, lighting designer, as judge. Focusing on diverse standpoint, the five judges reviewed the finalists. Since last year, the finalists are requested to make presentations on the very day. With this process added, deeper understanding, judging and selecting were made for the works.
We welcomed also Mr. Izumi Okayasu, lighting designer, as judge. Focusing on diverse standpoint, the five judges reviewed the finalists. Since last year, the finalists are requested to make presentations on the very day. With this process added, deeper understanding, judging and selecting were made for the works.
Considering the infection control practice, the video presentations submitted in advance were watched and the questions were asked and the answers were made. The judges were interested in the actual production process of the works. In the Preliminary Round, the artboards and concept text were available with the applicants’ information withheld, for judging. At the Final Round, the production ideas and messages were made clearer. The real-size outputs also helped the judges take another look at the works on that day. The concept, process, and the final output with commercialization in view, were all solidly thought out. They were pretty convincing, which means the competitive edge and charm of the work.
The Grand Prize-winning “. to noise” earned the judges’ high marks unanimously. The work features the audacious idea and techniques different from conventional ones. Their presentation too showed the potential of the Wallpaper Design Awards.
The Sangetsu people, who are professional in wallpapers, were amazed at the novel concepts and creativeness of some works, in addition to the Grand Prize-winning one. Stimulated by the entries, we are revitalized to produce tomorrow’s wallpapers. We are looking forward to interesting entries for the Awards 2022.
