Takahiro Wefuji wins gold, silver, and bronze at Japan Sign Design Awards

Takahiro Wefuji, an associate professor at Tokyo Polytechnic University, has swept the gold, silver, and bronze awards at the 60th Japan Sign Design Awards. Organized by the Japan Sign Design Association, this long-running competition received 282 entries.

The gold award was granted to ‘TOPPAN GATEWAY,’ a showroom designed to convey the corporate identity of TOPPAN through visual elements inspired by traditional printing techniques. The silver award went to ‘Funamoto Dental Clinic’ in Ishikawa Prefecture, which also received the Satoshi Yoshizumi Award for its delicate design that harmonizes with the local architecture and environment. The bronze award was awarded to ‘TOPPA!!! STUDIO,’ a collaborative space that blends digital expressions with physical material textures.

Wefuji, who specializes in visual communication and graphic design, noted that while designing for physical spaces is complex due to factors like material and human movement, he finds the field increasingly compelling in the age of AI and aims to share this passion with his students.