Trophy for Sumida Monozukuri Kigyo Taisho (Sumida Manufacturing Enterprise Awards) (2005)

Client: Sumida City Industry and Economy Division

Sumida City is home to many small and medium-sized enterprises which are the pillars of manufacturing in Japan, and it is dubbed a "monozukuri (craft of making things) city". The city established an award to reward Sumida-based companies which have made remarkable achievements that all other firms should model themselves upon, and asked Takahashi to design a trophy to be handed to the winners by the mayor.

It was decided that a "Sumida Meister" would be selected to create the trophy, and Takahashi asked Masaru Inoue, a hand-blown glass artist, to be in charge. Takahashi designed a glass ball with gold leaves which appear to be floating inside, with air bubbles all around. She worked in collaboration with Mr. Inoue to invent a new glass-blowing technique based on a conventional method, which became an opportunity for a new technology/method of expression to be born. The completed artwork was a trophy which epitomizes the essence of the monozukuri award.

Takahashi designed the trophy to depict an image of the spirit of Sumida City (the sphere) burning with passion for manufacturing like molten gold, and blazing out into the future. Since ten winners are selected each year for the award, and these ten companies (ten spheres) gathered together will empower Sumida City and become a beacon of light for Japan as well. The air bubbles inside the spheres represent this vibrant city constantly taking a leap forward into the future. The result was a trophy that captures the essence of craft making in Sumida City or "Made in Sumida."

Note: MASAMI DESIGN was chosen as one of the 10 winners of the first Sumida Monozukuri Kigyo Taisho.