International Furniture Design Competition Asahikawa 2027
Summary
Global furniture design competition seeking newly created unpublished wooden furniture; submit one anonymous A3 PDF board by 11 December 2026; top prize is JPY 3,000,000.
Essential Data
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Organizer | IFDA Organizing Committee (Asahikawa Furniture Industry Cooperative) |
| Competition type | International open furniture design competition with a prototype-based final round |
| Location | Asahikawa, Hokkaido, Japan |
| Eligibility | Open to individuals, groups, and corporations worldwide; no nationality, age, or profession restrictions |
| Registration fee | JPY 10,000 per entry |
| Submission deadline | 11 December 2026, midnight JST |
| Full prize | JPY 4,200,000 total, including tax |
| Official website | www.ifda.jp |
About the Competition
The 2027 cycle is the 13th edition of IFDA, a triennial program launched in 1990. Across its first 12 editions, it received 10,084 entries from 79 countries and regions. This edition asks applicants to respond to the theme Origin through newly conceived furniture whose principal material is wood. The first cut is made from anonymous presentation sheets, while the decisive review happens later through full-scale prototypes.
That structure places unusual weight on buildability and use. Around 10 finalists advance to the main selection process, where prototypes may be produced with Asahikawa manufacturers or by the applicants themselves, depending on feasibility and choice. The stated judging lenses are originality, quality, and functionality, with room for interpretation through material, craft, culture, region, and contemporary life.
What is Required?
Each entry must be a newly designed, previously unpublished piece. At the time the main results are announced, the work must not have been commercialized or disclosed online, in print, at exhibitions, or in other design awards. Wood must be the main material, though combinations with other materials are allowed. The brief encourages broad readings of Origin, but the official requirements also advise against entering the same project simultaneously in other competitions during the same period.
Individuals, teams, and companies may apply regardless of nationality, age, or profession, and there is no cap on the number of submissions. The fee is charged for each entry, paid online, and is non-refundable. An application counts only when both the form and payment are received. First-round material must be anonymous. Finalists who opt for local manufacturing will later need full-scale and detailed drawings; those producing their own prototypes bear production and transport costs.
Submission Materials
| Material | Official requirement |
|---|---|
| Board | One presentation sheet only |
| Drawings | Not required at entry stage; finalists using Asahikawa production must later submit full-scale and detailed drawings |
| Report | No separate report specified; concept and explanation must be included on the sheet |
| Images | Photographs, illustrations, or CG renderings showing the proposal |
| Model / prototype | Not required at first submission; required later for finalists in the main selection |
| Format | PDF upload through the official website |
| Size | A3, landscape, single-sided, maximum 5 MB |
| Language | Japanese or English |
| Font | Minimum 10 pt |
| Identity markers | Forbidden; do not include names, logos, symbols, or any identifying information |
| Required content | Project title, design concept, explanation, and visual material |
| Submission method | Online submission via the official website |
Important Dates
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Entry period opens | 1 July 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 11 December 2026, midnight JST |
| Preliminary selection | Mid-January 2027 (tentative) |
| Finalists notified | By early February 2027 |
| Main selection / finalist presentations | 18 May 2027 (tentative) |
| Award ceremony and results | 19 May 2027 |
| Exhibition of finalist and award-winning works | From 19 May 2027 to the end of September 2027 (tentative) |
Prizes
| Award | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gold Leaf | JPY 3,000,000 |
| Silver Leaf | JPY 500,000 |
| Bronze Leaf | JPY 300,000 |
| Special Awards by the Judges (4 awards) | JPY 100,000 each |
| Total award fund | JPY 4,200,000 |
All prize amounts are stated by the organizer as tax-inclusive.
Jury
| Name | Current position |
|---|---|
| Jin Kuramoto | Product designer; Chief Judge |
| Tsuyoshi Tane | Architect |
| Ronan Bouroullec | Artist and designer |
| Cecilie Manz | Designer |
| Tetsuya Fujita | Chairman of the IFDA Organizing Committee |
Yes—this is a heavyweight panel with internationally recognized figures in product design and architecture.
Intellectual Property
| Aspect | Official position |
|---|---|
| Copyright and related rights | Remain with the applicant |
| Main selection works | The organizer may exhibit them, publish them in official catalogues, and use them for publicity and promotion related to IFDA2027 and associated exhibitions |
| Commercialization | The organizer has priority in discussions with applicants regarding commercialization of works selected for the main selection process |
| Award-winning works and prototypes made by Asahikawa manufacturers | Not returned; they become the property of the organizer |
| Prototypes made by finalists themselves | Returned after all related exhibitions conclude; return transport costs are covered by the organizer |
| Non-finalist proposals | May be shown to furniture manufacturers in and around Asahikawa only with the applicant’s consent; submitted presentation sheets are not publicly exhibited |
