GOLDEN PIN DESIGN AWARDS

CELEBRATING THE ROLE THE HUAREN WORLD PLAYS IN SHAPING THE DESIGN OF EVERYDAY OBJECTS, THE GOLDEN PIN DESIGN AWARDS ACKNOWLEDGES CONCEPTUAL DESIGN INSPIRED BY PHILOSOPHIES AND IDEOLOGIES FROM HUAREN CULTURE.

The coming of December brought with it announcement of the annual Golden Pin Design Awards, celebrating conceptual design inspired by philosophies and ideologies from huaren culture and society. Featuring works in four categories – Product Design, Visual Communication, Packaging Design and Spatial Design, the competition  celebrates products expressly created for the Chinese-speaking market with participating individuals and companies being judged upon their ability to innovate within such a dynamic economy.  “Along the selection process, we took into consideration important elements, such as function and aesthetics. In addition to this balance, we paid attention to particular elements such as the emotion. After all, design needs to connect people to people, as well as people and space,” described Oki Sato, founder and creative director of renowned Japanese design studio, Nendo, and Jury Chair for this year’s event.

With over 3000 design products from 13 countries  having been submitted to the 2016 competition, the selected winners are representative of a highly competitive showcasing of projects realizing cutting-edge design specifically created for and within the huaren communities. 

2016 GOLDEN PIN DESIGN AWARDS WINNERS
PACKAGING DESIGN

Tse-Xin Organic Tea Carrying Case – Taiwan Tea Series of Conservation Animals by 3YA Design Associates (Taiwan)

Hand-painted images in simple yet elegant colors communicate the brand’s devotion to organic farming. When the series of four boxes is placed in order from left to right, a complete map of Taiwan appears. When they are separated, each image represents an animal under Taiwan’s conservation program and in its natural habitat.

 

SPATIAL DESIGN
Space of Unimaginable – Art Taipei 2015  by WOOYO (Taiwan)

Space of Unimaginable encompasses the floor plan and exhibition space of ART TAIPEI 2015, comprised of installations at the entrance, a VIP room, performance stage and two cafes. The spatial design breaks existing rules and redefines the relationship between the exhibit and the viewer, the seen and the seer, the object and the subject.

The Fanding Past by Deve Build (China)

“We had a happy, plain, carefree childhood. We lived close to one another. We knew the spring rains deep in the alleys, and the flower hawkers in the early morning. We used to know what authentic emotions were; we used to know how to treasure things. When we met one another, or had to say goodbye, there was a sincere joy and a sincere sadness, but this has all vanished into the past like smoke. Now we rush around, and live and work online. We eat, drink, and play in a crazy hysteria, as though it’s our last day. We squander everything. It seems that no one is willing to go offline, and yet everyone ceaselessly yearns for offline things. The city skyline has disappeared. The blue sky overhead has disappeared. The birds flying overhead have disappeared. Meanwhile more and more airplanes appear. And so on, and so on. All of this prevents us from realizing what we have lost, those things that were once our precious memories are now forgotten. The world is unpredictable. The world is like this. The past is like smoke.” – Deve Build, designer of The Fanding Past

VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGN
The Pictogram Design for Taiwan’s 100 Tourist Attractions by HSIN YU design studio (Taiwan)

 

Despite the fact that Taiwan has become a popular travel destination in recent years, the lack of collaboration between travel guides and websites causes inconvenience to travelers, who may find it hard to locate helpful travel information. There is also a lack of a visual language that transcends language and nationality, and this has become an important topic in the discussions surrounding the upgrading of Taiwan’s tourism industry. Therefore, this Pictogram Design for Taiwan’s 100 Tourist Attractions features graphic images of the top one hundred major tourist attractions and sights in Taiwan. It can help travelers in Taiwan to discover the must-see sites and inform them of beautiful locations around the island.

The Little Journey In Taipei National Theater & Concert Hall by SANXTIN (Taiwan)

The Little Journey In Taipei is a board game that takes players on an imaginary 48-hour journey through 16 iconic locations of Taiwan’s capital city, with the action centered on the National Theater & Concert Hall in the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall. The players become tourists who explore the city through different modes of transportation and who must visit each location before their 48 hours is up.

About Trees by Hanqingtang Design (China)

About Trees is a design work inspired by a collection of traditional Chinese poems related to trees. In the book, the names of nearly 90 tree species are presented using a special typeface, with red dots symbolizing tree-rings. This design is derived from the classical Chinese seal script and the shapes of the trees themselves, therefore the typeface is named the Tree Seal Script. The characters on the poster are also presented with a depth-of-field effect to evoke a bamboo forest.

BOK FESTIVAL by TODOT Design (Macao)

The key visual of the BOK Festival 2015 reflects the spirit of this theatre festival, which has the theme of “interconnection” as a guiding principle. The BOK Festival was established in Macau in 2013 by a non-governmental art group, the “Horizon Macau Theatre Group,” and explores the possibilities and forward-looking nature of theatre. Each year artists from all fields are invited to showcase works of experimental theatre and bring new shockwaves to the theatre world in Macau. The design of the key visual reflects the special characteristic of the festival–that visitors have to walk between different locations around the city to enjoy different performances

PRODUCT DESIGN
Smart Aquarium Lighting: FLAT ONE BY YOU HAU CO. LTD (ONF)  (Taiwan)

The Flat One is a smart aquarium LED lighting system with an elegant design, offering  a light spectrum similar to that of real sunshine and providing aquatic animals and plants a natural living environment. The ratio and brightness of the blue and white light can be adjusted to create the most appropriate environment for fishes and plants. The design also includes an app through which users can effortlessly check and record the aquarium’s condition, and share pictures of the aquarium with their social media network and friends.

SAVIORE Fire Extinguisher by SPL DESIGN CO. LTD (Taiwan)

 

The performance of fire extinguishers has seen a lot of improvement, yet the appearance and operation has remained the same—bulky, heavy and difficult to operate.   Saviore presents a new, well-designed fire extinguisher that is non-toxic, light-weight, easy to operate, suitable for all kind of fires, and, most importantly, beautiful. This helps increase people’s willingness to install a fire extinguisher at home. It can serve as a wall decoration, making it easily available when needed. 

Pick-Up Sliders by Lichy Enterprise Co. Ltd (Taiwan)

When riding a bike, it is hard to carry personal belongings such as bags or cardboard boxes, especially if we want to control the bike and ride smoothly. With limited basket space, it is dangerous to ride with items hanging from the handlebars. Pick-up Sliders is designed to solve these challenges. Inspired by European bicycle usage but with the Taiwanese environment in mind, Pick-Up Sliders provides both stability and a good riding speed. Pick-up Sliders can carry anything, taking a load of up to 150kg. This bicycle gives riders the freedom to move anything they need without losing control of the ride.

Spiral Stool by MisoSoupDesign (Taiwan)

With firm beliefs in the value of sustainability and creativity, Spiral Stool provides a recyclable furniture alternative with a modern aesthetic. The uniquely fractal elevation created from the rotation of the top and bottom of the stool provide reflections of light from different angles. Spiral Stool has a structural design created only with cardboard materials. Inspired by ancient wisdom, the stool features the mortise and tenon joint method traditionally used in woodwork to connect the eight pieces of cardboard sheets together.

ONE SHAKE by ndd design (Taiwan)

In Asia, the humid and hot climate means that seasonings can spoil quickly if they are not stored in a sealed container. The gravity-controlled shakers combat this problem by closing automatically when turned upright. The shaker slides open when upside down so that it is not necessary to touch the lid, providing a further level of hygiene. The shaker is simple to use—the user just needs to turn it upside and gently shake the container, and the seasoning will smoothly pour out.

i500 Smart Projector by BenQ Lifestyle Design Center (Taiwan)

i500 is a smart projector that also functions as a Bluetooth speaker to allow users who live in a limited living space to enjoy a larger viewing screen with a surround sound experience.The product features a clever design that allows user to switch between entertainment modes simply and quickly.  Users can also connect to the internet directly with its built-in Android system to access audiovisual content, or they can broadcast content from smart mobile devices via Miracast.

 OSLO by design-people (Taiwan)

OLSO is a stylish, wireless, portable loudspeaker with a minimal Nordic design. The OSLO model is upright and lightweight, with a handle for easy carrying. With bluetooth support, the OSLO can be connected up to any bluetooth enabled device.  OSLO is composed of an integrally molded aluminum frame and carrying handle and a polycarbonate plastic casing for good durability. The outer cover is made with Kvadrat water-proof fabric and comes in a variety of colors.

 JIA Inc. The Prep, Rolling Mortar by JIA Inc. (Taiwan)

 

Inspired by the Tang Dynasty ceramic tea mortars, The Prep, Rolling Mortar is designed to crush mixed spices, tea leaves, Chinese herb medicines, and various other spices. Unlike the wooden wheel pestle used in the past, this makes preparing meals or condiments a much more enjoyable experience. The U-shaped mortar is paired with a wooden hand-held roller, which is ideal for rolling back and forth in the mortar. With The Prep, Rolling Mortar, turning whole spice becomes an effortless task, elevating the experience of cooking.

 Tandscape by SERCOMM CORP (Taiwan)

Inspired by the form of mountains, Tandscape is a stationery and jewelry storage stand. The gently undulating slopes enable the contents to be picked up easily. Tandscape is a functional and beautiful landscape sculpture that can sit on any surface and display the items placed on it. Produced in ceramics factories in Taiwan, Tandscape is characterized by the simple, clean lines of ceramics while challenging the traditional output of the craft.

Smart Door Window Sensor by Sercomm Corp

The Smart Door Window Sensor is a ZigBee door and window sensor with a compact, discreet design. The design features a unified shape that combines the magnet and sensor housing for intuitive installation. This helps to resolve the common problem that users face with incorrect placement, which can cause the unit to function incorrectly.

Mini Tea Set  T1 by Balance Design, (China)

Mini Tea Set T1 is a compact, convenient, and portable mini gongfu tea set that is suitable for office and travel. The round teapot design is suitable for both left and right-handed users while the dual-wall hollow heat insulating structure of tea pot reduces the heat loss by approximately forty per cent, thereby protecting the user’s hands. The lid, which doubles up as a tea tray when the box is opened, is made from an ultra-thin, eco-friendly, high temperature resistant ABS material that is compact and durable, while the stain-resistant coating facilitates easy cleaning. 

Recycled Concrete De-germing Trash Can by Chengdu Shayuan Industrial Design Co. Ltd (China)

 

This environmentally friendly trashcan is made from crushed concrete waste materials collected from construction sites. The ergonomically designed inner receptacle can be tilted forward to enable easy collection of the trash inside. The trashcan also features a solar panel on the upper surface that powers an ultraviolet lamp inside the container. This is an effective way to sterilize the trash and remove foul odors. With its innovative features, the Recycled Concrete De-germing Trash Can promotes public health and hygiene.

Road Ready Rental LED Display by LKK Design Shenzhen Co. Ltd

The Road Ready Rental LED Display is the world’s fastest in terms of installing and dismantling. The design features an innovative, patented cable-free connector, which facilitates the speed of installation and dismantling. The 3-in-1 integrated back power supply, receiving card, and hub board makes replacement a simple plug and play. With its magnetic front design, modules can be taken out with a simple push.

Handheld 3-Axis Camera Gimbal Stabilizer by april6th design Co. Ltd

 

The Snoppa Go Handheld 3-Axis Camera Gimbal Stabilizer provides the flexibility and freedom to shoot with GoPro. Designed especially for GoPro, it is the first hand-held gimbal with integrated controls to simultaneously control GoPro and the gimbal. Using the Snoppa Go Handheld 3-Axis Camera Gimbal Stabilizer will completely transform the user’s videos and change the way they capture memorable scenes and action sports forever. The product uses Snoppa self-developed triaxial stabilization algorithm technology, which can effectively compensate for the natural shaking of the arm, keep the balance of the camera, and enable a smooth transition. The user can easily follow any action and capture smooth, sharp shots with ease.

All-Iris Aroma Humidifier by Shenzhen Stylepie Lifestyle Co. Ltd

ALL-IRIS aroma humidifier is named after the Greek goddess of rainbows, Iris. The design is inspired by the shape of a vase, which is beautiful but occupies little space. It is small, elegant, and can perfectly blend into different household environments, whether in use or not. When the cork top is removed, the humidifier starts working.  The operation duration of 10 hours, low air volume and noise control are all outstanding features, owing to the sophisticated design and assembly.

Usmile U1 by inDare Design Strategy Limited (China)

The Usmile U1 is designed to meet the demands of younger users who like to use an electric toothbrush, and to accommodate both the modern family bathroom and environment. With a sleek design and gentle contrast of texture and color, the U1 brings innovation with a larger capacity lithium battery which reduces power consumption and only needs to be charged twice per year. By eliminating the charging stand, the electronic materials required are  greatly reduced as the toothbrush can be wall-mounted with a suspension fitting, making it both convenient and space efficient.

 

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