Design Maestro Naoto Fukasawa Shines at 11th Singapore Good Design Awards

The 11th Singapore Good Design (SG Mark) Awards ceremony, hosted by the Design Business Chamber Singapore (DBCS), celebrated its latest cohort of innovative winners at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. This year’s event was graced by renowned Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa, who served as the Guest of Honour. Senior Minister of State & National Development, Ms Sim Ann, and Senior Parliamentary Secretary Eric Chua were also in attendance, with Ms Sim Ann unveiling the top nine winners and Eric Chua launching this year’s Singapore Design Awards (SDA) during the gala dinner.

The 2024 awards highlighted designs that make a significant social impact beyond mere aesthetics. The Platinum title went to the Silver Lion Pride Troupe, an active ageing initiative that combines lion dance with wellness practices to benefit Singapore’s senior citizens. The Gold award was shared between two exceptional projects: the Re-Route Festival, which aims to enhance tourism in Little India by showcasing its rich cultural heritage, and Sumu Yakushima, a groundbreaking project integrating off-grid energy and traditional Japanese engineering with modern technology to reshape human interaction with Yakushima Island in Japan.

This year’s awards underscore SG Mark’s ongoing commitment to setting high standards in design, recognizing projects that push beyond conventional boundaries. The SG Mark, established in 2013 in collaboration with the Japan Institute of Design Promotion (JDP), continues to inspire both established and emerging designers to explore innovative solutions that address real-world challenges.

Among the six Special Mention awardees, Neurowyzr’s Digital Brain Function Screen (DBFS) stood out for its pioneering approach to early brain decline detection. The Luna menstrual disposal station was also recognized for its thoughtful design, featuring an antimicrobial top, gesture-activated sensor, and modular design for customizable installation, revolutionizing feminine hygiene disposal in commercial spaces.

Looking ahead, SG Mark aims to further its impact by spotlighting designs that combine user-centric and multidisciplinary approaches, both locally and globally.