Press Release
Wenxi Qi Is Honored with the Bronze A' Design Award for Panini101 Charger in Digital and Electronic Device Design
Wenxi Qi of PaniniClub acknowledged for digital and electronic device design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 23, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ Panini101 Charger by Wenxi Qi of PaniniClub has been granted the Bronze A' Design Award in the Digital and Electronic Device Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The recognition forms part of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who evaluated anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
What the Bronze A' Design Award Means
The Bronze A' Design Award is given to outstanding designs that showcase a high degree of creativity and practicality. It recognizes the dedication and skill of designers who produce work that stands out for its thoughtful development and innovative use of materials and technology. These designs are acknowledged for their professional execution and potential to influence industry standards positively. Winning this award highlights the designer's ability to blend form and function effectively, offering solutions that enhance people's lives and wellbeing.
Regarding Panini101 Charger
Panini101 is a desktop fast charger shaped like a miniature early computer tower. A transparent viewing window reveals the internal components, in contrast to the closed form of most modern electronics. A magnetic door and a stable desktop form invite handling and curiosity. Gallium nitride power architecture and adaptive charging protocols allow output up to 100 W and the charging of several devices at once. The enclosure is made of injection molded flame retardant PC ABS. The intent is to rebuild emotional connection between people and technology.
About Wenxi Qi
Wenxi Qi is a designer and entrepreneur working at the intersection of product design, technology, and culture. She is the co-founder of PaniniClub, a design-driven consumer electronics brand, and the director of Aproject Factory, an innovation studio that collaborates with technology startups on product strategy, hardware and software experiences, and brand development. Her work explores the cultural and emotional value of everyday products and examines how design can contribute to emotional well-being and human–technology relationships.
About PaniniClub
PaniniClub is a design-driven consumer electronics brand founded by designer Wenxi Qi, reimagining everyday electronic gadgets as cultural artifacts.
Award Record
With this recognition, Wenxi Qi of PaniniClub is a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Digital and Electronic Device Design Award
The A' Consumer Electronics Design Award is an international design competition recognizing good consumer electronics designs by leading brands worldwide. The competition is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to consumer electronics designers, consumer electronics brands, consumer electronics manufacturers and electronic product manufacturers from all countries. Entries typically include smartphones, laptops, televisions, cameras, headphones and smartwatches. Awarded consumer electronics designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/consumer-electronics
About A' Design Award & Competition
A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade organized annually since 2008. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The A' Design Award has a philanthropic mission to advance society through good design by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Entries are peer reviewed and anonymously evaluated by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. The A' Design Prize granted to eligible laureates includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, the upload of a work and the preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. Further information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/182816
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/182816
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!182816
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/379248
- Further Information from the Laureate: https://paniniclub.io/
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Panini101 Charger
- Function
- Charger
- Category
- Digital and Electronic Device Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Electronics & Appliances
- Colors
- Lavender, Light Gray, Silver, Medium Aquamarine and Tan
- Images
- 5
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Wenxi Qi
- Country
- United States of America
- Brand
- PaniniClub
- Recognition
- Bronze A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #182816
Credits
- Image Credits
- Photographer Justin Doherty (Photographer) Justin Doherty, Panini101 Product Photography, 2026.; Creator Hengbo Zhang (Industrial Designer) Hengbo Zhang, Panini101 Product Visualization, 2026.; Creator Yanhui Ban (Industrial Designer) Yanhui Ban, Panini101 Product Visualization, 2025.; Creator Hengbo Zhang (Industrial Designer) Hengbo Zhang, Panini101 Product Visualization, 2025.; Creator Yanhui Ban (Industrial Designer) Yanhui Ban, Panini101 Product Visualization, 2024. Video Credits: Hengbo Zhang and Yanhui Ban, Panini101 Product Video, 2026.
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- The project transforms a desktop fast charger into a culturally meaningful desk object by referencing the form of early computer towers. A transparent viewing window reveals internal components, challenging the black-box nature of modern electronics. Details such as a magnetic door, stable desktop form, and visible structure create a product that is designed not only for function, but also for interaction, curiosity, and emotional attachment.
- Inspiration
- Modern technology is becoming smaller, faster, and more invisible, but this invisibility also creates psychological distance between people and the technology they depend on. Early personal computers were visible and understandable machines that people could see and interact with. This project was inspired by the idea that cultural memory and physical transparency could be used as design tools to rebuild trust and emotional connection between humans and technology.
- Research
- The project explores how industrial design can reduce the psychological distance created by black-box technology. By combining cultural symbols, physical transparency, and everyday functionality, the design investigates whether making technology visually understandable and culturally familiar can increase user trust and emotional connection. The project proposes a design approach where consumer electronics function as cultural artifacts rather than invisible utilities.
- Challenge
- The main challenge was translating the visual language of early personal computer towers into a compact high-performance charger while meeting thermal and safety requirements. The initial fully transparent enclosure conflicted with heat dissipation needs. The final design introduced a partial viewing window, balancing engineering constraints, visual expression, and design intent.
- Realization and Technology
- Panini101 integrates Gallium Nitride power architecture and adaptive charging protocols into a compact desktop charger capable of charging multiple devices simultaneously. The adaptive protocol system allows compatibility with evolving devices and charging standards, extending product lifespan and reducing replacement frequency. This approach supports sustainability through durability, long term usability, and emotional attachment rather than disposable electronics.
- Operation and Interaction
- Panini101 is designed as a stable desktop charging object rather than a hidden adapter. Users connect devices via the charging port, while the system automatically adapts power delivery through protocol negotiation. The compact form keeps cables organized and enables one-handed interaction, reinforcing usability. Its physical presence transforms charging from a passive task into a visible and tactile routine, integrating the object into the workspace environment.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in early 2023 in Dallas, United States, and was completed in October 2024 with mass production. The project included industrial design, engineering development, prototyping, and manufacturing preparation. The product was later presented at international technology and cultural events including CES and ComplexCon.
- Specifications
- Dimensions: Width 85 mm x Depth 60 mm x Height 55 mm. Weight: approximately 240 g. Output power up to 100 W GaN fast charging. Supports USB C Power Delivery with adaptive charging protocols. Enclosure made of injection molded PC ABS V0 flame retardant material. Complies with FCC, UL, and CCC safety standards.
- Keywords
- power adaptor, charger, consumer electronics, retro design, emotional design, collectible, industrial design
