Flowerblock Raf by Mizuki Chinen is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Gümüş Ödülü in Mobilya Tasarımı Competition Category.

GümüşMobilya· 2026

Flowerblock Raf

by Mizuki Chinen

Client: Chinen Mizuki

A' Design Award Gümüş Ödülü Winner in Mobilya Category

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Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #180361

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Flowerblock Raf

Flowerblock, hem depolama mobilyası hem de oda bölücü olarak işlev görmek üzere tasarlanmış bir raftır. Tasarım, Okinawa mimarisinde kullanılan, geometrik ajur desenlere sahip beton birimler olan ve güçlü güneş ışığını süzerken havanın geçmesine izin veren "flower block"lardan (çiçek bloklarından) esinlenmiştir. Kutular arasındaki boşluklar, rafa hafif ve açık bir görünüm kazandırır. Paslanmaz çelik çubuklar kutuları birbirine bağlayarak dayanıklılık sağlar, masif dişbudak ağacı yük taşıyan noktaları destekler ve kontrplak toplam ağırlığı azaltır. Rafın arka paneli bulunmadığından, bir duvara dayalı olarak ya da odanın ortasına yerleştirilebilir.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Gümüş Ödülü

Flowerblock Raf, A' Design Award Gümüş Ödülü kazananıdır; bu, göz alıcı, yüce ve etkileyici birinci sınıf tasarımlara verilen olağanüstü prestijli bir tanınırlıktır. Gümüş kazananlar, tasarımcılarının olağanüstü uzmanlığını, yeteneğini ve keskin zekasını gösteren son derece parlak ve çok yaratıcı eserlerdir. Flowerblock Raf, harika, örnek gösterilen, dikkat çekici derecede profesyonel ve derinlemesine yenilikçi bir eser olması beklenir. A' Design Award Gümüş Ödülü kazanan bu tasarım, sanat, bilim, tasarım ve teknolojinin sınırlarına fayda sağlayan ve onları ilerleten oldukça dikkat çekici, beğenilen bir buluştur. Flowerblock Raf, büyük kıskançlıkla bakılan, arzuları uyandıran, olumlu duygular getiren ve şaşkınlık ve hayranlık uyandıran bir yaratımdır.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: This shelf deliberately leaves space between boxes, creating an overall cool and light impression. Light and air pass through the gaps, reducing visual pressure and creating a pleasant sense of openness in the space. Its open, airy presence, reminiscent of Okinawa's climate, evokes a refreshing feel even in hot seasons, bringing a gentle rhythm to the room it occupies. It is a design that considers not only functionality but also visual coolness.
Dimensions & Packaging: 2000mm x 400mm x 1020mm
Tags: Shelf, Design, Furniture, Furniture design,
Production Technology: Stainless steel rods connect the boxes, ensuring durability and stability. The surfaces where these rods are inserted utilize solid white ash wood for its superior strength, providing robust support to load-bearing areas. Meanwhile, plywood is used for other sections to achieve overall weight reduction.
Design Challenge: To make the structure viable, we went through numerous trials and errors. Ensuring sufficient strength and stability proved particularly challenging. However, increasing strength inevitably added weight, so we also struggled to balance robustness with lightness.
Research: We conducted a durability test to verify how much weight the two stainless steel rods can withstand.
Inspiration: This shelf was designed inspired by Flower Blocks widely used in the architecture of my hometown, Okinawa. Flower Blocks are concrete blocks featuring geometric openwork patterns. They possess the characteristic of blocking strong sunlight while allowing pleasant breezes to pass through, combining practicality and decorative appeal. I focused on this functional beauty and incorporated a structure conscious of pathways for light and wind into the shelf's design.
Project Duration: The project commenced in Okinawa in April 2025.
Operation Flow: This shelving unit is intentionally designed without a back panel, allowing it to serve not only as storage furniture but also as a partition that gently divides a room. By not completely blocking sightlines or light, it maintains an open feel while enabling zoning according to purpose. Another key feature is its flexibility in placement it can be installed not only against walls but also in the center of a room or near windows. It adapts flexibly to changes in lifestyle and spatial usage.