–Air conditioning like you’ve never seen before: two Red Dot Design Concept Awards 2025
This year, Hitachi air conditioning design achieved new heights, winning two Red Dot Design Concept Awards for their innovative vision of the future.
Instead of looking at HVAC as a dedicated single-purpose equipment, which de factor becomes useless when turned off, the innovative winning concepts integrate air conditioning into 24/365 functional and interior design elements of a room.
Red Dot Design Concept, “Best of the Best”: the ‘airCloset’ air conditioning blends in all types of vertical storage furniture
Designers: Liu Yang, Ravi Anand, Luis Reyes
(YouTube Video)
Closets are large, tall and usually installed at a fixed place against a wall. Three proprieties that make them a suitable candidate to integrate air conditioning.
By integrating vertical louvers on the side of the storage space, the air conditioning module is seamlessly blending into the furniture. For enhanced comfort, in cooling mode, air is released from the upper section of the vents, distributing cool air evenly throughout the room. In heating mode, warm air flows from the lower part, gently warming the space from the ground up.
“With its sophisticated design and advanced functionality, the airCloset enhances indoor comfort while elevating the aesthetic appeal of contemporary interiors, making it a perfect addition to modern living” summarized lead designer Liu Yang.
Red Dot Design Concept: the ‘airHive’ breaks down HVAC into modular ceiling tiles
Designers: Luis Reyes, Yiman Yuan, Ravi Anand, Liu Yang
(YouTube Video)
For office and commercial buildings, indoor air quality control is becoming increasingly prominent, to ensure safety and productivity of their occupants.
With a holistic view of air purification, air conditioning, ventilation and monitoring, the “airHive” is a new modular ducted air conditioning system that integrates smart functions to keep indoor environments clean and fresh, while providing flexibility for architectural sculptural patterns and expandability.
The modular units, in hexagonal-shaped tiles, each serve one aspect of HVAC. Some tiles are dedicated to cooling or heating by air conditioning, some tiles to ventilation, some tiles to air purification, and others integrate indoor air quality sensors. A central smart system continuously monitors the building’s conditions and command all tiles’ operation for a perfectly balanced air.
“Not only it brings esthetics and modularity, but the ‘airHive’ system is also extremely flexible, as it can expand to more rooms over time or change configuration” says Lead Design Luis Reyes.
About Red Dot Design Award:
With a history spanning over 50 years, the Red Dot Design Award is a German international design award for product, brand, and communication designs and concepts. Competition for each category is conducted every year and all products, design concepts, and communication projects are evaluated by the Red Dot Jury who are established professionals, designers, and professors of their industries.
For more information, please visit the official Red Dot website below:
https://www.red-dot.org/
by Hitachi
16 Jul 2025
