It started as a project to showcase Japanese craftsmanship, utilizing laminated cedar wood from Fukui Prefecture in Japan and the skills of furniture craftsmen in Fukui Prefecture. It is a luxurious piece of cat furniture that incorporates elements of sleeping, toilet and eating spaces, while being a cat tower that understands the habits of cats and allows them to exercise. Even if it don't remodel home for cat, it can be used as an interior accent, and the design shows the splendour of woodworking techniques by furniture craftsmen and the beauty of the wood grain.
Designed by Hitomi Otake
Recognized by A' Design Award.
Born in 1979. From an early age, studied art under her father, a spatial designer and relief artist, and graduated from Kyoto Saga Art Junior College in 2000 with a degree in environmental design.She worked as a graphic designer at a signage company, a chief interior designer at a store design company, and a graphic designer before starting her freelance career in 2011. In 2017, She established DESIGN Iris Co., Ltd. and has been working on a wide range of design projects, including space design and design for commercial facilities, display design, graphic design for logos, menus, and signs, package design, product design, and branding design.
Hitomi Otake has A+++ Rating, valid through 2022. A+++ stands for Impressive Rating. DBI Awards the A+++ Rating to entities demonstrating impressive displays of creativity, quality, and innovation in their design endeavors. This rating applauds a consistently strong capacity to resonate with diverse audiences and stakeholders, reflecting thoughtful artistry and adept problem-solving. This certificate is awarded following a rigorous evaluation process conducted by an esteemed jury panel, comprising experts from various fields such as journalism, academia, design, and entrepreneurship. The assessment adheres to a blind peer-review methodology to ensure unbiased evaluation. Entries are meticulously judged against predetermined criteria, with scores normalized and standardized for consistency. This process recognizes and celebrates impressive achievements in innovation, design quality, and creative capacity.
Use the form below to discover award-winning designers, brands, and more on the Design Business Index.
The Design Business Index (DBI) is a merit-based rating system and professional directory founded to address one of the design industry’s biggest challenges: the difficulty of reliably assessing a designer’s true capabilities before a project begins. Through its partnership with the internationally recognized A’ Design Award, DBI combines a rigorous blind review process with transparent evaluation criteria to transform subjective design quality into objective credentials. By featuring only those who have demonstrated excellence under these stringent standards, DBI ensures a carefully curated pool of top talent, where clients can make confident, data-driven decisions about creative partnerships.
Beyond its directory, DBI offers a comprehensive DBI Credibility Suite™ designed to help designers and studios stand out in an overcrowded market. Each DBI-rated professional receives authoritative certificates, digital assets, and rating logos that validate their skills and attest to their proven creative excellence. These tools seamlessly integrate into websites, social media, and marketing materials—reinforcing trust, credibility, and, ultimately, market value. Notably, DBI ratings remain valid for a two-year period, encouraging ongoing professional development and highlighting those who continuously push the boundaries of innovation.
By systematically reducing guesswork and eliminating reliance on subjective portfolio reviews alone, the Design Business Index creates a more efficient, trustworthy, and merit-based environment for both clients and designers. With DBI, top talent rises above the noise, clients gain peace of mind, and the entire global design community benefits from higher standards of creativity, innovation, and professional excellence.
Design Business Index champions design excellence, valuing official recognition from respected international juries over mere popularity. Our criteria focus on transparent, rigorous evaluations by peers, assessing quality, ethics, and innovation. Notably, the prestigious A' Design Award highlights truly exceptional projects, judged by academics, press members, and professionals using a documented scoring system. We exclusively feature professionals and studios that have earned at least one peer-reviewed award, particularly the A' Design Award, ensuring that our listings represent meritocratic accomplishment, innovation, and credibility.
Pro Entry
Digital Entry
Smart Entry
Industry Standard Entry
