SPREAD

JP

Our medium is color. Our goal is to have people experience the creativity that spreads from the memory of color. Color has the power to stimulate the senses and emotions. Something wells up within the heart. That something drives thought and expands the world. By facing society and engaging in the act of creation, we have sought to change the present and create new experiences. Through experiences, we have aimed to foster imagination in society. Imagination has the power to save people in every circumstance. When we feel like we’re being pulled into some dark and heavy current, imagination can transport us to a better place.

We are always trying to pull that trigger.

About

Spread is a creative unit founded by Haruna Yamada and Hirokazu Kobayashi. Spread fuses the long-sighted
environmental approach of landscape design with the vivid visual techniques of graphic design, incorporating
memories into their creative work as they strive to expand (“spread”) whatever subject they take on.

In 2004, SPREAD presented Life Stripe, an on-going work that records daily activities as a pattern of
colored stripes. Their works that pursuing color has been exhibited at around world; Alcova (Milan), Ventura
Centrale (Milan), Rppazmuseum (Basel), Embassy of Japan in Switzerland, Alcova Miami, Red Dot Design Museum
(Singapore), Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design, Spiral (Tokyo). Also they held workshop about
color expression at Ministry of Education in Singapore, The National Art Center (Tokyo), University of
Milan, The Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts (China), University of the Republic of San Marino, Meguro Museum
of Art (Tokyo), etc.

SPREAD’s representative works include the key visual for “the 10th Anniversary of the National Art Center,
Tokyo”, branding of the cosmetic brands “Celvoke”, “Festival of Factory”, installation of “BURBERRY”, “Color
Jungle” at Tokyo Midtown, exhibition design at Japan House London; “The Carpenters’ Line”, “Living Colours”,
“Biology of Metal”, re-branding JR-East “Yamanote Line Museum”, installation Play! Museum “Miffy”, art
direction “Dance Base Yokohama”, creative direction “Art Fair Beppu”, etc.

Awards; Red Dot Design Award /Grand Prix, German Design Award /Gold, Dezeen Award / Designer of the Year /
Longlists, Pentawards, Design for Asia Award, GOOD DESIGN AWARD, etc.

Members

SPREAD

HARUNA YAMADA

Birthplace: Tokyo, Japan Graduated from Nagaoka Institute of Design, Environmental Design.
Haruna started her career as a landscape designer in the Ryoko Ueyama landscape design
laboratory. After working as a designer in an environmental graphic company, a plastic
manufacturer, and a record company, in 2004, she established the creative unit “SPREAD”.

HIROKAZU KOBAYASHI

Birthplace: Niigata, Japan Graduated from Nagaoka Institute of Design, Graphic Design. Hirokazu
worked as an art Director and Designer for an advertising agency, mainly in overseas promotions.
In 2003 he became freelance. Established the creative unit “SPREAD” in 2004.

小野 一也

Kazuya Ono

Designer. Born in Beppu, Japan.

ミャオ ケイリン

Huilin Miao

Designer. Born in Guangzhou, China.

Stijn Zijlstra

Stijn Zijlstra

Designer. Born in Holland.

屋我 真愛沙

Maisha Yaga

Project manager. Born in Okinawa, Japan.

Clients

Burberry, Kao, Toyota, Nokia, Clinique, Lexus, Lego, Victrinox, Miele, Grand Seiko, Toshiba, Japan House London, Ministry of Education of Singapore, Logitech, Pearl Drums, Red Dot Design Museum Singapore, Wacoal Art Center, The National Art Center Tokyo, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Tsubame city and Sanjo city, Tokyo Midtown Management, Nitoms, Nichiesu, Mush Beauty Lab, Axis

Medias

BBC, Dezeen, ICON, ELLE DECOR, domus, INTERNI, Corriere della Sera, AXIS, Casa BRUTUS, JDN, Discover Japan, pen, Real Tokyo, NIKKEI、Design360°、IDEAT

Awards
and
Nominations

Red Dot Design Award / Grand Prix x 3 / Winner x 7

German Design Award / Gold / Winner x 2 / Special Mention

Dezeen Award / Winner / Longlisted as designer of the year x 3

Design for Asia Award / Gold / Silver / Bronze

Pentawards / Silver x 2 / Bronze x 3

Good Design Award / Winner x 4

iF design award / Winner

Taipei International Design Awards / Gold

D&AD award / Nomination / Shortlisted

Japan Tourism Poster Competition / MIC Minister Award

Japan Package Design Award / Bronze

Times Asia-Pacific Advertising Awards / Selected Prize

Yomiuri Advertisement Award / Award of Excellence / Winner

Mainichi Design Award / Nomination x 2

DSA Design Award / Shortlisted / Longlisted

Kukan Design Award / Shortlisted / Longlisted

Tokyo ADC Award (Japan) / Merit

JAGDA Award (Japan) / Merit

Tokyo TDC Award (Japan) / Merit

Judges

Golden Pin Design Awards / Final Selection (Taiwan)
Golden Pin Concept Design Awards / Final Selection (Taiwan)

Exhibition

2024

Linear Symphony and Merging Hearts at KITTE OSAKA, Osaka

Yebisu International Festival for Art & Alternative Visions 2024 “The World Beyond”,
Tokyo

Special Exhibition “The KOUBA principle” at Red Dot Design Museum, Essen

2023

Colored at Alcova, Miami

WDA TOKYO 2023 Collaborative event Design for Anthropocene, Tokyo

Time is Like a Flower at Midland, Nagoya

Toyama Prefectural Museum of Art and Design 5th Anniversary: DESIGN SCOPE, Toyama

2022

MILESTONES, Kyoto

SPREAD exhibition GIFT/STACK Touring exhibition at TAKEO, Osaka

2021

AOYAMA CREATORS STOCK 20 GIFT/STACK at TAKEO, Tokyo

Spread by Spread: What Color is Tomorrow?, Tokyo

Much Peace, Love and Joy at Alcova, Milano

2019

Viewing Contrast at (place) by method, Tokyo

Roppongi Color Canyon at Tokyo Midtown Design Touch, Tokyo

Human-Nature at Red Dot Design Museum, Singapore

Bring Color into Your Life at Fuori Salone, Milano

Living Colours at Japan Louse London, London

2018

Biology of metal at Japan Louse London, London

Bring Color into Your Life at Fuori Salone, Milano

2016

Life Stripe at Kenpoku Art 2016, Kitaibaraki

Paper Garden at Spiral Garden, Tokyo

Casa Gife at Fuori Salone, Milano

2015

Tsubame-Sanjo Factory Festival at Axis Gallery, Tokyo

Life Stripe at Daikanyama T-Site, Tokyo

Life Type at The National Art Center, Tokyo

Life Type at Fuori Salone, Milano

Life Stripe at Embassy of Japan in Switzerland, Bern

Life Type at Kiito, Koube

2014

Life Stripe at RappaxMuseum, Basel

Life Stripe at Atelier Initial, La Neuveille

Tsubame-Sanjo Factory Festival in Sharing Design by Milano Makers at Fuori Salone,
Milano

Life Stripe at OBR, Milan

Life Stripe at Fuori Salone, Milano

2013

Life Stripe at Fuori Salone, Milano

Making as Living at 3331 Arts Chiyoda, Tokyo

Making as Living at Kiito, Koube

2012

Live Colorfully! – A Creative support to Tohoku at Spiral Garden, Tokyo

Life Stripe at Fuori Salone, Milano

2011

Life Stripe at Traumaris, Tokyo

2010

ITO, Tokyo

2006

Life Stripe at Yokohama Bay Quarter Parking Gallery, Yokohama

 

Lecture

2023

Kyoto University of the Arts, Kyoto

WDA TOKYO 2023 Collaborative event Design for Anthropocene, Tokyo

2022

Joshibi University of Art and Design, Tokyo

2021

Joshibi University of Art and Design, Tokyo
Showa Women’s University, Tokyo Aoyama Gakuin University, Tokyo
Aoyama Gakuin University, Tokyo

2020

NAFA(Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts), Singapore Golden Pin Design Award,Taiwan

2019

Tama Art University, Japan Aichi University of the Arts, Japan

2018

“Biology of Metal” at Japan House London Arts Education Conference 2018 (AEC),
Singapore

2015

Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Guangzhou China Embassy of Japan in Switzerland, Bern

2013

The University of Milan The University of the Republic of San Marino

2008-2011

Nagaoka Institute of Design, Japan

2008-2010

Nihon Kogakuin, Japan

 

Workshop

2019

Through Dialogue with Colour – Chance and Certainty for art teacher’s in South Zone 1, 
Singapore

2018

Through Dialogue with Colour – Chance and Certainty for Singapore teacher’s Academy at
the ARTS, Singapore

2017

Life Wave, Life Sound at Meguro Persimmon Hall & The Meguro Museum of Art, Tokyo

Design Camp – Dialogue with Color at The Meguro Museum of Art & Herman Miller Japan
Ltd., Tokyo

Next 10 years at The National Art Center, Tokyo

2015

Life Stripe at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Guangzhou, China

Life Type at The National Art Center, Tokyo

Life Type at ILFISCHIO.Doc, Milano

Life Stripe at Embassy of Japan in Switzerland, Bern

2014

Life Type at Kiito, Koube

Pencil Workshop at Ishinomaki, Miyagi

2013

Life Stripe at The University of Milan

Life Stripe at The University of the Republic of San Marino

2012

Life Type at Nagaoka Institute of Design, Niigata

Paper balloon, Tokyo

Life Stripe at Minamisoma Children, Nagano

2011

Life Stripe at Yappeshi Festival, Oofunato

Life Type at UeFes, Yoyogiuehara

Life Type at CLASKA, Tokyo

2010

Life Stripe at Dictionary Club, Tokyo

2009

Life Stripe at Nippon Engineering College, Tokyo

2008

Life Stripe at Nippon Engineering College, Tokyo

2007

Life Stripe at TamagawaK-12, Tokyo

 

Job

Project Manager

Spread is looking for a creative-savvy project manager.The job is to oversee the
progress of the creative team from the start of the project to the finish. We welcome applicants who
can communicate in both Japanese and English. Please send your CV to pm@spread-web.jp.

Creative Stuff

SPREAD is looking for creative staff. Graphic work in the area of branding and
communication design. Spatial design work in the realm of installations and exhibitions. Work in
design, research, and planning across either or both of these areas. Please send your CV and
portfolio (10MB or less) to cs@spread-web.jp.

Administrative Staff

SPREAD is looking for an Administrative Staff. This position is for general clerical
work in our design studio. This is a one day a week position. Please send your CV to aa@spread-web.jp.

Internship

SPREAD is looking for an ambitious intern. This includes graphic, space, research, and
support for a variety of projects. You will be involved in multiple projects for at least 2 months.
Please send your CV and portfolio (10MB or less) to is@spread-web.jp.

Contact

Mail : contact@spread-web.jp
Tel : +81(0)3-6904-2707

Uehara, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo,
151-0064, Japan
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SPREAD OFFICE