artscape Roundtable | What Does It Mean to Judge at a "Design Award"? -- The Ideal Award and How Judging Should Be (Part 1)
Experts discussed the current state and future direction of judging and awards in the fields of art and design.Summary
As part of artscape's 30th-anniversary project, a roundtable discussion was held featuring Creative Director Seiichi Saito, Graphic Designer Yuri Uenishi, Architect Yuko Nagayama, Designer Hokuto Ando, and Design Historian Sakura Nomiyama (moderator), to explore the reality and future of design awards and judging. The panelists shared their motivations for serving as judges: observing trends (Saito), repaying past favors and offering a younger perspective (Uenishi), discovering new 'maps' for direction (Ando), and supporting others' careers (Nagayama). Regarding the judging process, they contrasted the intensive discussions seen in awards like the Good Design Award with the more direct voting prevalent in some graphic design awards. The iF Design Award utilizes a near-absolute evaluation based on defined criteria. A key trend discussed was the increasing value placed on emotional resonance and strong personal motivation, especially in the age of AI, moving beyond purely functional or rational design. This suggests an expansion of judging criteria, allowing personal narratives and intense individual drive to influence outcomes.
(Source：artscape)