apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

The top prize went to Yuki Iida (Japan) for the Straw Straw. "The original meaning of the term "straw" was "wheat straw". Wall art depicting people using straws of wheat to drink from have been discovered from ancient Mesopotamian ruins. Straws of wheat are forms created by nature; they are materials that return to the soil. There's no waste in either the shape itself, or in its actual existence."

Second prize went to Ken Sugimoto and Eri Sugimoto (USA) for the Trash Pack for Outdoors. "A trash bag that easily stands up by itself. By taking advantage of the triangular pack that originated in Sweden and has been used for years for serving milk for school lunches in Japan, we were able to achieve a sense of stability, while the tendency to worry about the actual contents of the bag has been lessened. Can be put to good use when camping, on a picnic, or with other outdoor activities."

There are several winners in the bronze category - our favorite is Grandpa's Nail Hook by Masashi Watanabe (Japan). "My grandfather nonchalantly pounded nails into posts and hung various things on them. So that things didn't fall off these nails, he unconsciously pounded them in at an angle. To me, these felt like the most rational sort of hook you could get. While a simple nail would have sufficed, I made a few alterations. It struck me that if you could secure a nail at a set angle and length every time, then you could have beautiful hooks anywhere you could pound a nail in."

Check out all the winners and the details of the competition right here..

Photos: Muji