DESIGN 21: Social Design Network announced “Ichimatsu,” by Trent Jansen of Sydney, Australia, as the winner of its design Challenge “Kobe G8 Environment Ministers Meeting Furoshiki.” The Challenge was hosted by the web site and organized by Felissimo and the City of Kobe. The winning design, which receives $2,500, was chosen from 157 entries from 35 countries. It will be produced and distributed to all delegates at the Environment Ministers Meeting in May (shown at right).

The “Ichimatsu” design captures the essence and significance of this historic event in a beautifully simple and traditional way. “Ichimatsu” is the Japanese name for a checker pattern, but Jansen also notes how, separately, “Ichi” means city/community in Japanese and “matsu” means pine tree. The designer uses these alternate meanings, literally, by creating a checkered pattern of pine trees to form an image of natural harmony. As the judges note: “The groups of pine trees suggest that nature (represented by the trees) and developed land (represented by white space) co-exist in perfect balance to create a beautiful pattern. Upon closer inspection, one sees that each checker has its own unique size and uneven lines, but together, the checkers produce an orderly world, bordering, surrounding and protecting each other.” The natural balance depicted in Jansen’s design represents the ideal world that the G8 Environment Ministers Meeting pursues.

Felissimo collaborated with the City of Kobe to organize this inaugural DESIGN 21 Challenge to support the goals of the G8 Environment Ministers Meeting being held in Kobe this May. The challenge tasked designers to design a furoshiki, a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth which can be used to carry things and is known as one of the oldest “eco-bags.”

To read more about the winning design, judges’ comments, and view all entries please visit http://www.design21sdn.com/challenges/12.