凭测孕包装斩获重量级iF设计奖！宁诺少年连拿三个国际设计大赛奖项

本周，被誉为产品设计界“奥斯卡”的2021年德国iF设计奖最终评选结果揭晓。宁波诺丁汉大学2020届学生蓝睿恒、指导老师孙煦共同为本土企业设计的一款测孕包装斩获iF设计奖。

UNNC student wins international design award with sustainable work

14 April: Ruiheng Lan, a 2020 graduate of University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), was awarded the iF Design Award 2021 due to their extraordinary design of sustainable pregnancy test packages for the local enterprise, together with his supervisor Dr Xu Sun, Associate Professor in Product Design and Manufacture.

Ruiheng has previously received various world-renowned prizes, including the iF Design Talent Award and was awarded Silver in the Sustainable Living Category of the International Design Awards.

Upon receiving the design request from Ningbo Jiajiajianjian Biotechnolgy, Ruiheng soon threw himself fully into his work, inquiring as to manufacturers’ needs, conducting marketing research and observing current products. He noticed that traditional packages were primarily made of plastics, which results in huge amounts of plastic waste.

Concerned for the impact on the environment, Ruiheng decided to use recyclable and degradable materials while designing the package. The new package can be split into paper, which after folding can take the sample and drop it into the testing paper, combining the functions of disposable plastic droppers and cups.

“Although the design process took me only a week, preparation took a huge effort,” said Ruiheng. He gave appreciation to Dr Sun, his supervisor and co-designer of the package, for offering him strong support. “She gave me very constructive advice, like how to include user guidance in the package.”  

Ruiheng’s other iF Award-winning design was an innovative Interactive Mask. Using a specially designed water-sensitive dye, different patterns appear on the surface of the mask depending on the amount of water absorbed as the dye reacts with water vapor from the wearer's breath. By switching from smiling pattern to crying, it reminds the user to change the mask regularly, turning the classic surgical mask into a more user-friendly product. 

"In many of my designs, I take sustainability into consideration, because as a designer, I hope my work will attract manufacturers’ attention to and enhance their awareness of social responsibilities. Maybe in the future they will choose more environmental-friendly designs," Ruiheng said when speaking of the reasons for adopting degradable materials and incorporating sustainability concerns in his design.

Beside students, UNNC academics have also taken actions to create a sustainable future through research and knowledge exchange activities. At the end of April, the University will hold a Research Exhibition on campus, titled “Creating a sustainable world”, to celebrate UNNC research achievements. The Exhibition will showcase a variety of research projects on diverse topics including smart cities, innovative materials and biodiversity, each contributing to at least one of the United Nations' 16 Sustainable Development Goals.