The biannual CS Design Awards recognize excellence in graphics and space design like retail and exhibition spaces. The awards have been faithfully hosted for 30 years (amazing!) by Nakagawa Chemical, a pioneer in the cutting sheet and wall decal industry (products that often get used in space design).
And as usual, the awards boast a rock star cast. Above is the poster designed by legendary graphic designer Kazumasa Nagai, who has done almost every single poster design for the awards. The judges: Kazumasa Nagai (graphic designer), Kiyonori Kikutake (architect), Shigeru Uchida (interior designer), Taku Sato (graphic designer) and Kenya Hara (graphic designer).
Here are some highlights from the awards
Grand Prize
“The Strokes” from the exhibition, Jim Lambie: Unkown Pleasures
First place when to Toshio Hara, who worked with artist Jim Lambie to produce the exhibition design for Jim Lambie’s show at the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art.
Photos by Hirotaka Yonekura | click to enlarge
Runner-up
& Roll
Designer Yoko Akimoto was recognized for her unique usage of a classical motif in a very uncommon fashion, transforming the & Roll beauty salon into a hi-contrast and graphic space.
Photos by Hatsue Kubo | click to enlarge
Runner-up
Color Study
Art Director and educator Kei Matsushita’s use of the Nakagawa Chemical’s latest product – IROMIZU panels that can be overlapped to create multiple hues of blue.
photos by Hidehiko Nagaishi | click to enlarge
Runner-up
Signage for the exhibition “Kenji Yanobe: ULTRA”
Art Director Yuma Harada’s signage campaign for the exhibition “Kenji Yanobe: ULTRA” which took place at the Toyota Museum of Art in April 2009.
Photos by Takumi Ota | click to enlarge
Award for Excellence
Hiroko Ichihara exhibition “I Want to Spend My Life Playing”
Art director Bunpei Yuge hijacked and transformed a model house into a typographic playground.
Photos by Takuto Fujino
Award for Excellence
Nosign Exhibition
Nosigner went about designing the space for his own solo exhibition by using hundreds of decal leaves – some translucent and some opaque. The translucent leaves were strategically placed so that when the lights turn on the designer’s name appears, creating order out of chaos.
Photos by Masaharu Hatta | click to enlarge
