In consideration of the impact of COVID-19, the Advance registration acceptance period, the primary judging work acceptance period, and the primary judging result announcement date have been changed.
■Overview
The Akari Image Light Design Competition, organized by the Akari-Image Executive Committee, is open to anyone interested in lighting. This is a design competition aimed at discovering new light products and commercializing them.
■ Application details
The competition is open to original work in line with the competition theme.
■ Theme
New Image New Light…New light in future spaces
Lighting fixtures that give a space an accent like a spice,
and miscellaneous lighting goods and light objects.
■ Prizes
●Outstanding Prize（1 prize）100,000 yen
●Awards of Excellence（2 prizes）30,000 yen
* Not applicable in some cases
■Selection for commercial production
Some winning entries may be selected for commercial production support by Akari Image.
■ Registration / deadlines
[Advance registration]
Starts: Wednesday, April 15, 2020, from 10:00.
Ends: Saturday, May 30, 2020, 17:00. Thursday, June 18, 2020, 17:00.
[Preliminary Judging] Document examination
Reception opens: Friday, May 15, 2020, from 10:00.
Submission deadline: Friday, June 5, 2020, 17:00. Monday, June 22, 2020, 17:00.
*Multiple entries by individuals or groups possible.
[Secondary Judging] Examination of actual work or mockup
Reception opens: Monday, October 26, 2020, from 14:00.
Submission deadline: Friday October 30, 2020, 17:00.
*The Secondary judging will be conducted during the Akari Image Exhibition at the Tokyo Big Sight
JAPANTEX INTERIOR TREND EXHIBITION. All submissions will be placed on display.
Exhibition period: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 to Friday, Nov. 13, 2020.
■ Announcement of results
[Preliminary judging] Monday, June 15, 2020. Wednesday, July 1, 2020.
[Secondary judging] Tuesday, December 1, 2020.
Both results will be announced on the official website.
* Winners will be contacted directly.
■ Submission guidelines
[Preliminary judging] Presentation sheet
Please specify the following required items on the official application entry form. Do not include more than 3 sheets of A3 sized paper.
1: Registration number ⇒ The number that the secretariat provides you with at advance registration.
2: Title
3: Concept
4: Overall view (CG, illustration, sketch, drawing, model photo, etc.)
*Please do not include information such as name and affiliation that can be used to determine your identity.
* PDF files must be less than 10MB in total.
* Layout, color etc. do not matter.
[Secondary judging] Examination of actual work or mockup
Send to all items to the secretariat of the executive committee of Akari Image.
*When sending your work by mail, please be careful to package it so that it will not be damaged during transportation. If it arrives damaged, it may not be subject to judgement and exhibition.
*Works will be returned after the exhibition period.
*Although we will be careful in handling the works during the exhibition period, we cannot be liable for accidents or theft.
■ Judges
Shoichi Uchiyama Lighting designer
Established his own company Shoichi Uchiyama Design Office in 1977 specialising in lighting design. His form of expression is strict and functional and is based on minimalist Japanese aesthetics. Shoichi Uchiyama has won several prizes, among others the German iF Award and the Japanese Good Design award.
Chikara Shindo Interior designer
The CEO of Power, he graduated from the faculty of engineering, Tokyo Denki University. After joining Super Potato Co., Ltd. and gaining experience as a designer, he worked as a director of the company. After that, he established Power and became CEO. He specializes in renovation and conversion of old buildings.
Yoshiji Baba Modeling artist / Designer
Originally worked for a lighting manufacturer, Daiko Electric Co., Ltd., and was involved in lighting design and product development. Later, he was in charge of product promotion at stage lighting manufacturer Marumo Denki Co., Ltd., sales promotion for websites and catalogs. He is currently the CEO of Baba Yoshiji Design Office.
Hiroshi Nagane Lighting designer
CEO of Tokyo Design Party. CEO of Tsunagu Design Management LLC. In addition to lighting design, product design management, spatial design management, he is involved with various creative projects, providing support for people, products, events, and spaces.
■ Participation
1: Advance registration
Please pre-register using the web form on the official homepage and obtain a registration number.
2: Send work data for the preliminary judging.
Please send the presentation sheet data by the deadline. In principle, we will only accept from applications made with the official application form. (The form will be published on Friday, May 15).
* Registration numbers will be issued within 3 business days.
* Forms cannot be sent by post to the secretariat, brought directly to the office, or submitted by motorbike delivery.
■Form
From Wednesday, April 15 (10:00) to Saturday, May 30 (17:00). Thursday, June 18 (17:00).
From Friday, May 15 (10:00) to Friday, June 5 (17:00).
Monday, June 22 (17:00).
■ Conditions for participation
1: Anyone can participate regardless of nationality, age or gender. However, documentation and support will only be provided in Japanese and/or English.
2: Those who can actually make a work and apply for the second screening if they pass the first screening. (The production work can be a prototype that communicates the design intention).
3: Does not infringe on other patents, designs, or intellectual property rights.
4: In principle, the winning works will be posted on the Akari-image website and carried on social media.
5: Permission is given for he submitted work materials to be used for articles and announcements about Akari Image, without the additional permission of the applicant and photographer.
■ Entry fee
Free
However, applicants will be responsible for the costs related to the production and display of the work.
■Copyright
All intellectual property relating to designs, patents, utility models, trademarks, copyrights, etc. of the submitted work belongs to the applicant. However, if items are selected for commercial production, the usage rights shall be preferentially and unconditionally exercised by the organizer.
*Please complete each application yourself.
■ Conditions associated with commercial production
Commercial production shall be managed by Tsunagu Design Management LLC and produced and sold by a supporting company. If commercial production of the product is successful, the designer will be paid royalties.
■ Supporting companies
Elux Co., Ltd. / Kisima Co., Ltd. / Other companies planned
■ Organizer
Akari Image Executive Committee
4F, Kimoto Building, 2-18-17, Kojima, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Tsunagu Design Management LLC
https://akari.tsunagu.fun
■ Sponsors
Lighting Design Netwok http://www.lighting.or.jp
Japan Lighting Coordinate Association https://jlca.or.jp
Japan Industrial Designers’ Association http://www.jid.or.jp
■ Contact
Akari Image Executive Committee Secretariat
E-mail：Marie Sato akari@tsunagu.fun
■2020 schedule
In consideration of the impact of COVID-19, the Advance registration acceptance period, the primary judging work acceptance period, and the primary judging result announcement date have been changed.
1. Advance registration
From Wednesday, April 15 (10:00) to Saturday, May 30 (17:00). Thursday, June 18 (17:00).
2. Preliminary judging
From Friday, May 15 (10:00) to Friday June 5 (17:00). Monday, June 22 (17:00).
3. Announcement of the results of the preliminary judging
Monday, June 15 (10:00).
Wednesday, July 1 (10:00).
4. Submissions for secondary judging
From Monday, October 26 (14:00) to Friday, October 30 (17:00).
5. Secondary judging begins
Wednesday, November 11.
6. Announcement of the results of the secondary judging
Tuesday, December 1 (10:00).
7. Awards ceremony
Planned for December (date TBA).
8. Product commercialization support
From December.
Q&A
Q：Can one person submit more than one entry?
A：Yes. Please pre-register once for each entry submission.
Q：Can groups or organizations apply?
A：Yes. Have one person pre-register as a group representative.
Q：Can I send the presentation data at the same time as I apply for pre-registration?
A：No. It takes 3 business days for you to receive a registration number after you pre-register. You need to include that number with your presentation data. Please be sure to apply for pre-registration early.
Please note that the advance registration period ends before the preliminary judging period is completed.
Q：I can’t create graphic images draw blueprints.
A：Submissions can be in any form. Do your best to present your ideas as well as you can.
Q：What if my presentation is over 10 MB?
A：Please convert to PDF or use a file reduction service.
Q：What happens if I pass the first judgement but am unable to create a model for the second judgement?
A：Do your best to create a mock-up that the judges can use to understand your design.
Q：My submission is rather delicate and I would prefer to bring it myself. Is that possible?
A：Sorry, but no. After reception of the submissions for the secondary judgement, the submissions will be moved. Please make sure they are packaged in such a way that they will not be damaged.
Q：What is the reason why when items are selected for commercial production, the usage rights are transferred to the organizer?
A：This is a necessary step for commercial production and sale. No changes will be made to the original design or colors without the creator’s permission.
Q: What is the allowable range if you want to change the design after passing the initial examination?
Is it okay if the size, design, and concept do change significantly?
A: The concept is a basic idea and cannot be changed.
The design cannot be changed in principle, but I think it is good to change the design to better express the concept.
However, if the design seems to be clearly different from that of the first screening, points may be deducted during the second screening.
The size can be changed unless it changes significantly.
Q: If the article is introduced in a magazine or book, will it be included in the presentation?
A: Included in the announcement.
I think that the definition of “unpublished” is “not publicly announced to the general public to the general public.”
Therefore, it is considered that the works announced / published in exhibitions and magazines, books, and the web that are open to the general public are “announced” as works that are already known to the public, and in principle applications are not possible.
Q: Is it okay to improve this work from previous Akari Image competition and challenge this competition?
A: You can challenge us. Improved works will not be included in the presentation.
In order to improve the work once announced, we think that the work that has been customized or redesigned is “newly born thing”. Please apply.
For example, even if a lighting fixture that was designed and installed as a custom-made lighting for a store in the past, but the size, light source, and color etc. were changed for a home etc. in this application, it is considered as an unpublished work and it is possible to apply.