On August 24th (Monday), at the "Love Bench Design Competition 2026" held in Kikuchi City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Wakana Aoki, a second-year student Kyushu Sangyo University, Zokei Junior College of Art and Design (from Sadohara High School), won the Student Award for her work "RIPPLE BENCH".
The competition received 54 entries from all over the country, and among them, Aoki's work was highly praised for its design quality.
The winning entry was created based on what was learned in the department's course, "Product Modeling Practice 2." In this course, students learn practical skills from idea generation to shape consideration and model creation, and work on design proposals that are mindful of their connection to society and the local community.
Aoki said, "I am very happy to receive the Student Award. My work is based on the ripples of the river flowing through Kikuchi Valley, and expresses how connections between people expand. I focused on creating an effect where the ripples appear when light is used, and on a design that looks like an infinity symbol when viewed from above, aiming to create a bench that would make people who sit on it feel a little happier." She shared her joy at receiving the award and her thoughts on her work.
Our university will continue to strive to cultivate individuals with rich sensibilities through practical learning.
[Kyushu Sangyo University, Zokei Junior College of Art and Design]
