Masami Takahashi
Creative Director, Designer, Conceptor, Social Designer, Consultant
and Producer
-Toyohashi University of Technology / Visiting Professor
-Professional University of Information and Management for Innovation / Visiting Professor
1974 Born in Tokyo's Sumida City
1997 Graduated from Kuwasawa Design School Graphic Design Department
1997 Established MASAMI DESIGN
Her work style begins by calling up an image of a company, product, person, locality, or society as a whole. Based on its own history and background, she even envisions and creates its future, which is reflected in "Design of Society(*2)" called "Invisible Design(*1)," big and small "Story(*3)" making, concept making, etc. In addition, with design image in every detail of things, and from a perspective of embodying things, including those not existing in the world as yet, she has concrete ideas as well. Including plans for the distant future, she engages in dynamic story (axis) making and creating specific design in every single detail simultaneously. She has an established reputation for her work encompassing a broad range of fields, content and style. On top of these, she also proposes ideas and concepts for future creation to a wide array of parties, including companies, industry groups, the central government and local communities.
Based on the source of her ideas that she has had since she was young: "Everything is connected(*4)," she simultaneously holds both "macro and micro points of view(*5)," giving shape to things. With this work style combined with another of constantly coming up with a future vision in dealing with various work of small and big sizes, based on the philosophy: "Design is also one of the solutions for social problems(*6)," and sharing the standpoints of many people and the "Envision a healthy future(*7)" slogan, she has created a large number of words and concepts. Her power of idea, which leads to many people's natural ways of thinking, and creative power of "connecting the past with the future(*8)," and applying it to specific things in the future has chalked up a track record steadily. This has in turn helped win greater confidence in her from people in various fields; as a result, she has been involved in a great many projects from many different angles.
To hook the power of creation of people who asked for her help up to a great number of ideas yet to be seen (for people, including the stimulation of products, companies, local communities, society, culture or history). Thanks to the power and creative power of global design that will help society take form that many people can share naturally, specific designs to embody them and build a concrete world, she has received a wide variety of requests across disciplines.
Furthermore, Takahashi has been rated highly not only in Japan but also in the rest of the world. She has been invited to deliver a lecture every year by universities and in many other fields at various locations in Japan.
+ Book "Let's Go to a Factory!!" (Bijutsu Shuppan-sha Co., Ltd.)
+ Main Awards| 2003 | NYADC [New York Art Directors Club] Distinctive Merit Award (USA) |
| 2003 | Japan Package Design Awards, Silver Award (Japan) |
| 2005 | NYADC [New York Art Directors' Club] Merit Award (USA) |
| 2005 | D&AD [British Design & Art Direction] Awards GRAPHIC DESIGN Category, Bronze Prize (UK) |
| 2005 | Japan Package Design Awards, Special Jusge's Award (Japan) |
| 2005 | The 1st "Company that Makes Sumida Energetic Awards" (Japan) |
| 2008 | Kuwasawa Award (Japan) |
| 2009 | D&AD [British Design & Art Direction] Awards BOOK DESIGN Category, Silver Prize (UK) |
| 2011 | Japan Sign Design Association [SDA] Awards, Encouraging Prize (Japan) |
| 2011 | Design for Asia Awards, Gold Award (Hong Kong) |
| 2013 | Japan Sign Design Association [SDA] Awards, Encouraging Prize (Japan) |
| 2015 | Red Dot Design Award (Germany) |
| 2015 | Japan Sign Design Association [SDA] Awards, Encouraging Prize (Japan) |
| 2015 | DSA Design Space Award (Japana) |
| 2021 | iF DESIGN AWARD （Germany） |
The items marked with *1 to 9 are based on Masami Takahashi's "Application of Design (*9)," i.e., the words and concepts she created.
Besides these, she has naturally sent many concepts, awareness, and words into society. For deep meanings of these Takahashi's words, which are connected with the social structure and a large number of people, please refer to her books or text she has frequently presented as well as lectures or presentations that she has delivered based on a wide array of themes.
Many say that what she says is philosophy. Being unaware of it, she is always herself and appears to naturally create words as part of her work, which many people can relate to and use to solve their problems, as the very "Design of Society."
From the standpoint of many people and for the sake of a healthy future, MASAMI DESIGN, aka Masami Takahashi, is engaged in the whole range of design.
