Press Release
Yu Hiraoka Receives the Silver A' Design Award for Phantom II Magical Coat Rack in Furniture Design
Yu Hiraoka recognized for furniture design by the international grand jury of the 2015 - 2016 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 22, 2016 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has announced that Phantom II Magical Coat Rack by Yu Hiraoka, designed for Yu Hiraoka Design, has been granted the Silver A' Design Award in the Furniture Design category. The recognition forms part of the 2015 - 2016 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 Silver A' Design Award Explained
The Silver A' Design Award celebrates top-tier designs that embody excellence and innovation. This award acknowledges creations that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly functional, reflecting the designer's deep understanding and skill. Silver A' Design Award recipients are recognized for their contribution to raising industry standards and advancing the practice of design. Their work often incorporates original innovations and elicits a strong emotional response, making a notable impact on the improvement of everyday life.
About Phantom II Magical Coat Rack
This is a coat rack with four wood hooks, one wood basement and a clear acrylic stick. Because of its clear stick, it creates an illusion that the presence of coat rack disappears in a dark room and your coats hanging on hooks look like they are in the air as if you see a phantom there. This coat rack can be assembled without using screws or glue.
About Yu Hiraoka
Yu Hiraoka is a Japanese product and interior designer based in Turin, Italy. Born in 1988, he studied design in Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy, developing an international perspective through different educational and cultural environments. After beginning his professional career in 2013 and working with design studios in Milan, he established his independent design practice in 2018. His work has received several international design awards, and in 2026 he served as a juror for the A’ Design Award & Competition. He collaborates with clients internationally across product, furniture, interior, and exhibition design projects.
Award Record
Yu Hiraoka is a winner of 7 A' Design Awards, including this recognition. The awards were granted between the 2014 - 2015 and the 2015 - 2016 editions of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Furniture Design Award
The A' Furniture Design Award is an international furniture competition recognizing good furniture designs by best furniture designers worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to furniture designers, product designers, industrial design studios and furniture brands from all countries. Typical entries include chairs, tables, sofas, beds, cabinets and shelves. The awarded furniture designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/furniture
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/44220
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/44220
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!44220
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/131793
- Further Information from the Laureate: http://yuhiraoka.wix.com/yuhiraoka
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
- Phantom II Magical Coat Rack
- Function
- Magical Coat Rack
- Category
- Furniture Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Furniture & Home
- Colors
- Sandy Brown, Gainsboro, Silver, Tan and Dark Salmon
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Yu Hiraoka Design
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Yu Hiraoka
- Country
- Italy
- Recognition
- Silver A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2015 - 2016
- Design ID
- #44220
Credits
- Image Credits
- Yu Hiraoka Design
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Phantom is a coat rack which consists of wood hooks, a wood basement and a clear acrylic stick. Because of its clear stick, it can create an illusion that your coats on hooks look like they are in the air in a dark room as though you see a phantom there. And this coat rack can be assembled without using screws or glues, thus it is easy to transport, assemble, disassemble, and dispose.
- Inspiration
- Furniture is not just a mere component in the house, but also something staying with you for many years. That is why, I believe it's important to design simple and practical, yet humorous and playful furniture in your home to give you some comfort.
- Research
- In the beginning of the project, I did research about furniture with smart and beautiful structures. I was interested in those built with separate pieces without using screws or glues, and I liked that smart aesthetics.
- Challenge
- The big challenge of this project was how I could bring humour in the entrance of houses. And, I came up with this coat rack idea that makes coats look floating in the air.
- Realization and Technology
- Materials: acrylic, walnut
- Operation and Interaction
- This coat rack consists of a long stick, 4 hook pieces, and a base. Everybody can build it easily by putting them together in the places without using screws or glues, and it is also easy to disassemble it.
- Project Duration and Location
- This work was developed in Milan in 2015.
- Specifications
- Size: W304 D304 H1630 mm
- Keywords
- Furniture, Coat rack, Unique, Humor, Playful, Modern, Simple, Wood, Acrylic, Aesthetic, Home, Geometric
