Saya Takamine wins Bronze for compact ceramic sauce dish

The A' Design Award has named Two of Us, a sauce dish by designer Saya Takamine, a Bronze winner in its kitchenware design category. The compact ceramic piece is meant to bring multiple condiments to one shared plate while balancing practicality, manufacturing constraints and a refined table presence.

Why it matters: - Two of Us was recognized for combining shared-dining utility with a compact ceramic form that supports different taste preferences at the same table. - The Bronze A' Design Award signals that the design met the competition's standards for creativity, practicality and production feasibility. - The award can raise visibility for Takamine's approach to everyday objects as design problems worth refining.

What happened: - The A' Design Award announced Two of Us, a sauce dish designed by Saya Takamine, as a Bronze winner in the Bakeware, Tableware, Drinkware and Cookware Design category. - The announcement was dated June 30, 2026, in Como, Italy. - The design was presented as a compact ceramic sauce dish intended to let people with different taste preferences share one plate. - More information is available on the award page.

The details: - Two of Us includes two soy sauce compartments and one condiment dish. - The layout allows three seasonings to be used on one plate. - A wing-like curve in the condiment dish creates a wider opening for dipping. - The same curved form adds depth that makes cleaning easier. - The overall piece is compact and easy to handle. - The curved condiment section contrasts with the otherwise linear structure and serves as a visual accent. - The dish is made with plaster slip casting molds. - The sauce dishes and condiment dish were cast separately and then bonded to create the recessed form. - Differences in depth, thickness, slope angle and compartment offset were refined through repeated sketching and clay prototyping.

Between the lines: - The recognition points to continued interest in tableware that supports shared meals without forcing everyone into the same condiment choice. - The design also shows how small changes in proportion and geometry can solve both usability and manufacturing problems. - The award framing suggests the judges valued not just appearance, but the discipline required to turn a concept into a producible ceramic object.

What's next: - The award may encourage further exploration of dining products that blend proximity, function and restrained form. - Takamine's work is likely to attract more attention as an example of translating everyday observation into a manufacturable design. - The A' Design Award will continue highlighting kitchenware entries through its juried competition platform.

The bottom line: - Two of Us stands out for making a simple shared-table gesture into a careful piece of ceramic design.