Japan Spatial Design Award Continues Partnership Agreement with iF Design Award

The Japan Spatial Design Award, jointly organized by JCD (Japan Commercial Environment Designers Association, Chairman: Shigeru Kubota, Location: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo) and DSA (Japan Spatial Design Association, Chairman: Hidehito Idehara, Location: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo), and the iF Design Award, operated by iF International Forum Design GmbH in Germany, will continue their partnership agreement, which has been in effect since 2021.

Japan Spatial Design Award 2026 LOGOiF DESIGN AWARD 2027 LOGO

Through the conclusion of this partnership agreement, both awards will collaborate on PR and public relations activities and events, such as disseminating information about each other on websites and social media. By leveraging their respective strengths, they aim to further enhance both awards.

Furthermore, Shortlist winners of the Japan Spatial Design Award 2026 will receive special benefits, including an exemption from the iF Design Award 2027 application registration fee and exemption from the iF Design Award pre-selection, allowing them to participate in the final judging of the iF Design Award as finalists.

In last year's partnership collaboration, out of 183 Shortlist winners of the Japan Spatial Design Award 2025, 84 entries utilized the benefits to enter the iF Design Award 2026, and 44 of those entries received an iF award. Additionally, one of the following works received an iF Gold award:

iF Design Award 2026 GOLD Award Winner: Bar Koku: https://kukan.design/award/2025_b06_0171/

What is the iF Design Award: Official Website https://ifdesign.com Established in Germany in 1953, it is the world's longest-running design award and an international design competition with over 10,000 entries from 60 countries worldwide. The application categories include nine fields: Product, Communication, Packaging, Service/System & Process, Architecture, Interior Architecture, Concept, UX, and UI.

About Japan Spatial Design Award 2026 Application Acceptance Celebrating its 8th year, the Japan Spatial Design Award is Japan's largest spatial design award, established to connect the value of spatial design to the future. Entries for a wide range of spatial design works, including exhibitions, commercial facilities, offices, and residences, are accepted.

Japan Spatial Design Award 2026 Application Period: From 10:00 on Monday, March 30, 2026, to 23:00 on Thursday, May 14, 2026 (Japan time)

Details on Japan Spatial Design Award 2026 Application Guide and Guidelines: https://kukan.design/detail-guidelines/

Japan Spatial Design Award 2026 Final Judges and Special Judges (in no particular order, titles omitted): ・Ryo Onishi / Nomura Co., Ltd. nora, Spatial Designer / Exhibition Director ・Gwenael Nicolas / Curiosity Inc. CEO ・Ryu Kosaka / Nomura Co., Ltd., Chief Design Officer / A.N.D. Representative ・Seiichi Saito / Panoramatiks Founder, Abstract Engine Inc. CEO ・Shohei Takei / nomena Representative, Engineer ・Eisuke Tachikawa / NOSIGNER Representative, WDO Board Member, Keio University Specially Appointed Professor ・Hiroshi Nakamura / NAP Architects, Architect ・Yuri Naruse / Naruse-Inokuma Architects, Architect ・Hisataka Hiramatsu / Moment Inc., Spatial Designer ・Brian van Stippdonk / Starbucks Global Concept, Creative Director ・Yuichi Minagawa / AXIS Design Research Center Director

Judging Committee Chairman: Hidehito Idehara / Spatial Producer, DSA Chairman Judging Committee Vice Chairman: Shigeru Kubota / Dezigns JP Inc. Representative Director, JCD Chairman

Benefits for Japan Spatial Design Award 2026 Shortlist Winners for iF Design Award 2027 Application: ● iF Design Award 2027 application registration fee (300-500 Euros) will be waived. ・iF Design Award 2027 application period: The application period will be from early May 2026 to November 4, 2026 (scheduled), but to utilize this collaborative application benefit, application registration must be completed by the iF Design Award 2027 general registration deadline (scheduled for September 18, 2026). (All application entry items for iF Design Award must be entered in English) ・Japan Spatial Design