「隈 研吾 & 東川町」
KAGUデザインコンペ
KENGO KUMA & HIGASHIKAWA
KAGU DESIGN COMPETITION

「隈 研吾 & 東川町」
KAGUデザインコンペ
KENGO KUMA & HIGASHIKAWA
KAGU DESIGN COMPETITION

NEWS

KAGU, Connecting People to the World

Architect Kengo Kuma, who revitalizes communities through architecture, and Higashikawa, the Town of Photography and “Cultural Capital of Photography”, are calling for designs to foster a new way of life. Both the world and the relationship between people and objects are changing. With KAGU, we are aiming to develop a peaceful, mindful, and enriched lifestyle. We hope that KAGU connects objects, people, and the world, and we will work together with you to create the future. In this way, our concept of KAGU is an extension of the traditional concept of furniture. Let’s build a new lifestyle together.

KAGU, Connecting People
to the World

Architect Kengo Kuma, who revitalizes communities through architecture, and Higashikawa, the Town of Photography and “Cultural Capital of Photography”, are calling for designs to foster a new way of life. Both the world and the relationship between people and objects are changing. With KAGU, we are aiming to develop a peaceful, mindful, and enriched lifestyle. We hope that KAGU connects objects, people, and the world, and we will work together with you to create the future. In this way, our concept of KAGU is an extension of the traditional concept of furniture. Let’s build a new lifestyle together.

Photo ©Designhouse

We invite you to propose healthy furniture — pieces that promote wellness through their use, encourage reflection on the meaning of health, and embody the well-being of both people and the planet.
Kengo Kuma
Head Judge / Architect, professor at the University of Tokyo
This initiative, which connects the artistic vision of younger generations with local craftsmanship, has continued to grow each year. We look forward to receiving many entries full of creativity.
Shin Kikuchi
Mayor of Higashikawa, the Cultural Capital of Photography and “Town of Photography”

 

 

We hope that this opportunity—where the woodworking skills nurtured in Higashikawa meet creative designs from around the world—will generate exciting chemistry, inspiring new ideas and fostering meaningful, mutual exchanges.
Ikuhiro Takashima
Chair of the "Kengo Kuma & Higashikawa" KAGU Design Competition Executive Committee

OUTLINE

Theme

Healthy Furniture

Eligibility

Students aged 30 or younger, from Japan or abroad.

Awards (Prize Money & Additional Prizes)

Grand Prize (Kengo Kuma Award) – 1 entry: ¥500,000 cash prize / Rights for commercialization
Second Prize (SOLIZE Award) – 1 entry: ¥200,000 cash prize
Excellence Award – 2 entries: ¥100,000 cash prize (each)
Honorable Mention – 6 entries: No cash prize
【Special Award】Higashikawa Woodcraft Associations – 1 entry from the above award winners: Rights for commercialization

Tentative Schedule

December 1, 2025: Application opens
Mid-January, 2026: Submission deadline
March 22, 2026: Final judging & award ceremony (held in Higashikawa)

JUDGES

portrait_1-kuma_w720_002

Photo ©Designhouse

Kengo Kuma [Head Judge]

Architect, professor at the University of Tokyo

太刀川英輔プロフィール写真EisukeTachikawaPortraitPhoto

Eisuke Tachikawa

Representative of NOSIGNER, President of JIDA, Director of WDO, and Specially Appointed Professor at Keio University

野老朝雄プロフィール写真AaoTokoloPortraitPhoto

Asao Tokolo

Artist

中村拓志プロフィール写真HiroshiNakamuraPortraitPhoto

Hiroshi Nakamura

Architect, NAP Architectural Design Office

原田真宏プロフィール写真MasahiroHaradaPortraitPhoto

Masahiro Harada

Architect, professor at Shibaura Institute of Technology

日比野克彦プロフィール写真KatsuhikoHibinoPortraitPhoto

Katsuhiko Hibino

Artist, President of Tokyo University of the Arts

藤原徹平プロフィール写真TeppeiFujiwaraPortraitPhoto

Teppei Fujiwara

Architect, associate professor at Yokohama National University

織田憲嗣プロフィール写真NoritsuguOdaPortraitPhoto

Noritsugu Oda

Chair researcher and design advisor to the town of Higashikawa

Higashikawa Woodcraft Associations

Judge for Special Award

Applications Closed

Mid-January, 2026

Registration is closed as of December 30th, 2024.
Thank you very much for your registration.

Registration is closed as of December 30th, 2024. Thank you very much for your registration.