wah

wah is a design unit formed in 2018 by Masataka Wakisaka and Takashi Hatta, two designers who work in-house for manufacturers. Wakisaka, born in Ishikawa in 1989, studied at Kuwasawa Design Institute before designing daily goods and building materials; Hatta, born in Kanagawa in 1990, completed a master’s at Chiba University and then worked for a building material manufacturer.

Working beyond a single category, the unit designs products, furniture, graphics, spatial environments and brand identities, with the stated aim of bringing small joy to people and society. Its work has received the Red Dot Award and the iF Design Award in 2021, the JID Award in the interior product division, and the Grand Prize at the Sanwa Company Design Award.