A' Design Award in Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Goes to D Code Symbol Mark by Hikaru Deguchi

Hikaru Deguchi recognized for graphics, illustration and visual communication design by the international grand jury of the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COMO, Italy, April 19, 2025 /DesignNewswire/ D Code Symbol Mark by Hikaru Deguchi, designed for D Code, has been granted the A' Design Award in the Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The result belongs to the 2024 - 2025 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who scored anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.

The A' Design Award Explained

The Iron A' Design Award is awarded to good designs that meet the rigorous professional and industrial standards set by the A' Design Awards. This recognition is reserved for works that demonstrate a solid understanding of design principles and show creativity within their execution. Recipients of the Iron A' Design Award are acknowledged for their practical innovations and contributions to their respective fields, providing solutions that improve quality of life and foster positive change. These designs are a testament to the skill and dedication of their creators, showcasing their ability to address real-world challenges through thoughtful design.

More About D Code Symbol Mark

D Code is a symbol mark based on traditional Japanese aesthetics and the idea of natural harmony. The composition follows the Silver Ratio of 1 to 1.414, known in Japan as the Yamato Ratio, a proportion long used in Japanese architecture and art. The form combines the five vowels of the Sacred Mizukuki Characters into a single shape. D Code is built in three layers: a white symbol, a mandala of 25 Mizukuki patterns, and a black symbol, reflecting the balance of yin and yang. The layered structure is reproduced with traditional Ukiyo-e printing techniques.

About Hikaru Deguchi

Born in Kyoto, Japan, Hikaru Deguchi is the President of Japanology University and Chairman of the Kokorozashi Art Project. He also chairs the Keio University Psychology Mita Club and serves as Deputy Head of the Urasenke Tankōkai Federation, Tokyo Chapter. A third-degree blackbelt in judo, he holds a Ph.D. in Applied Behavior Analysis from the University of Kansas and studied experimental psychology at Keio University. He served as a university lecturer and was President of Taka-Q Corporation, a Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed company. In 1996, he founded the Association of Mekiki, and in 2020, he launched Japanology University to share Japanese spirit and culture globally.

Award Record

With this recognition, Hikaru Deguchi is a winner of 1 A' Design Award.

About the A' Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design Award

The A' Graphic Design Award is an international graphic design competition recognizing good graphic designs by best creative agencies and designers worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to graphic designers, communication designers, graphic artists and illustrators from all countries. Typical entries include logos, posters, infographics, brochures, packaging designs and business cards. The awarded graphic designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/graphics

About A' Design Award & Competition

Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com

Press Resources

Winner Page: https://designers.org/171926
A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/171926
Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!171926
Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/367692

Media Contact

Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953

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Fact Sheet

The Work

Project: D Code Symbol Mark
Function: Symbol Mark
Category: Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design
Discipline: Communication Design
Industry: Branding & Advertising and Arts
Colors: White Smoke, Black, Silver, Dark Slate Gray and Gray
Images: 5
Client: D Code

The Recognition

Laureate: Hikaru Deguchi
Country: Japan
Recognition: A' Design Award
Edition: 2024 - 2025
Design ID: #171926

Design Details

Unique Properties: D Code, The Ultimate Energy Symbol of Japanese Aesthetics D Code is a symbol that embodies the spirit and natural beauty of Japan. At its core lies the Silver Ratio (1:1.414), called the Yamato Ratio in Japan, a primordial proportion symbolizing the ideal form of natural harmony and beauty. D Code is not merely a design. It visualizes the unseen order of nature, the shimmering of a lake, the flow of the wind, the rhythm that resonates through all living things, manifesting as an energy device that enhances life.
Inspiration: This symbol mark is inspired by Sacred Mizukuki Characters, said to appear on the surface of Lake Biwa in Japan on clear days. It combines the five great vowels of Sacred Mizukuki Characters, which are the source of all voices, into a single form. Sacred Mizukuki Characters are believed to be a script created by Great Nature (the primordial existence).
Realization and Technology: D Code is a three-layered symbol. The first layer is the white D-Code, the second layer is a mandala composed of 25 sacred Mizukuki Characters patterns, and the third layer is the black D Code. It incorporates the traditional Japanese concept of the harmony of yin and yang. This three-dimensional structure can only be reproduced using Japanese Ukiyo-e techniques. Although the second and third layers remain invisible, their presence amplifies the power of this symbol.
Keywords: D-Code, three-layered symbol, sacred Mizukuki characters