Delivering the "Now" of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD
The thoughts that go into the application for the GOOD DESIGN AWARD, The thoughts that go into the judging of the GOOD DESIGN AWARD, Various thoughts intersect and connect The process of exploring "GOOD DESIGN" will be delivered to you.
Applications for GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD 2026 are open until 1 p.m. on August 17!
2026.7.24
The GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD supports young talent who will pioneer the design of the future. This award is open to students attending universities and vocational colleges, as well as new members of the workforce who have just graduated or completed their courses. Applicants can make use of their work so far, such as pieces created for assignments or on their own initiative while studying, to apply for the award in free-thinking ways. In this article, we introduce the attractive features of the NEW HOPE AWARD, which acts as the impetus for applicants to take new steps as designers.
What is the GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD?
The GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD will take place for the fifth time this year. It is an award for the next generation of designers, who can submit a variety of designs, irrespective of genre.
GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD applications ・Applicants must be current students or newly working adults who have just graduated or completed their studies. ・Applicants can submit their assignment/graduation work for university or vocational college, or independently produced designs. ・Applicants can submit designs produced as a proposal or concept, as long as these are their own original designs. ・There is no application fee Check here for the outline of the event and the application guidelines.
When applying, choose the category best suited to your design from among the following four categories: “product design,” “place design,” “information design,” and “systems design.” Judges from various fields of expertise are responsible for screening each category of application.
The judging panel has a new structure this year. Yuma Harada, the chair of the screening panel, said, “As far as possible, we want to screen from the same viewpoint as the applicants and on the same level. We invited people from whom we can expect this perspective to be judges.” In addition, the judging panel now has two chairs, based on the proposal that “We want to create a structure in which we can approach the screening on an equal footing, rather than in the traditional relationship between the chair and vice chair.”
In the first screening, the award-winning works and up to two Excellent Award winners in each category will be selected. At the final screening, the Grand Award winner is selected after presentations of the Excellent Award winning designs. Each year, the final presentations given by young designers from the same generation are filled with enthusiasm and provide a variety of opportunities for learning and stimuli.
▶︎ Click here to see what the final screening for FY 2025 was like
Last year, 115 of the 668 entries were selected as award-winning works. Of these, the top two designs in each category, a total of eight designs, were chosen for Excellent Awards and advanced to the final screening. Seven designs received Excellent Awards and one design the Grand Award.
2025 Grand Prize “Sound Stargazing”: enjoy the sound of the stars
“Sound Stargazing,” which won the Grand Prize last year, is the design of a mechanism to change participants’ awareness of the universe by converting the observation experience in urban areas, where the stars are difficult to see due to excessive illumination, from seeing them with our eyes to enjoying them through sound.
The judges praised the design, saying, “Inspired by the formative experience of being unable to see the stars in urban areas, the approach is both meticulous and powerful in every aspect—from technology acquisition and commercialization to service design and designing experiential value. The product not only provides an experience for situations in which stars cannot be seen due to urban environmental factors, but also has the potential to expand into various domains, such as offering celestial sound experiences for people with visual impairments and serving as an educational tool.”
The design of this mechanism was completed by incorporating diverse viewpoints, including collaboration with the Sendai Astronomical Observatory and the selection of sounds through repeated checking with visually impaired people. The project is developing through links with society, such as holding events in urban areas and giving classes at elementary schools in which students learn about the life of stars through sound.
A venue for learning and connections that continue after receiving the award
NEW HOPE AWARD winners not only receive a commendation certificate, memorabilia, and a cash prize, they also have the opportunity to further develop their skills and network as designers. The following programs were implemented in 2025.
*We will inform you of this year’s content as soon as it has been decided.
● All award-winning works displayed in the list of Award-Winning Works on the official website, along with comments from the judges. Publication of a book containing all the works selected as “award-winning works” or for a higher award.
● Articles published in design media.
AXIS carried out an interview with the Grand Prize winner and experts. This was a valuable opportunity to come into contact with expert knowledge and exchange opinions.
JDN carried an article introducing the NEW HOPE AWARD, looking back on the screening process, progress since winning the award, and past Grand Prize winning works.
● Participation in the 2025 GOOD DESIGN AWARD winners’ exhibition “GOOD DESIGN EXHIBITION 2025”
The GOOD DESIGN AWARD winners’ exhibition introduces all of the GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD winning works. This was an opportunity for each winner to disseminate their design widely and convey its appeal to many people.
● Study tour of “design sites”
Visits to corporate design studios and architectural and community development sites which you cannot usually enter. This was a valuable time for experiencing the work of designers and architects at the forefront of their fields, exchanging opinions, and learning about production sites and ways of thinking.
In 2025, the tour was held at IKEBUKURO LIVING LOOP.
● Follow-up seminar
This was a valuable opportunity to present the designs which applicants had submitted and get expert opinions directly from the judges. Through the exchange of opinions, participants were able to reconsider their own designs and gain new perspectives and exchanges.
● Design workshop
A workshop was held to deepen understanding of design through dialogue and practice. A judge acted as the instructor, and all participants deepened their understanding of the ideas and potential of design through actual hands-on learning.
The GOOD DESIGN NEW HOPE AWARD is a prize which honors excellent design, and a place for future designers to grow. Applications for 2026 are open until 1 p.m. on August 17. There is no cost to submit designs, and you can easily apply using works which you have already made. We look forward to receiving your designs, which create the world of the future!
Chieko Asakura
Writing
While working at a bookstore, she creates books and videos. She participated in Tokyo Art Book Fair (TABF) 2024. She is also active as an actor, participating in the theater company chelfitsch’s Five Days in March Re-creation and Metamorphosis of a Living Room.
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