Iron Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Products Design · 2025
Solic Incense Product
by Recov
- A' Design Award 2025 Iron Winner in Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Products Design
- Awarded April 15, 2025
- CLIENT: Recov
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 17,640
- Verification code ADC67D2D27 · Verify this award
About Solic Incense Product
The design is a device intended to help office workers incorporate brief moments of rest into hectic schedules. The design features a descending top that safely burns incense inside, preventing ash from scattering and minimizing fire risks. A subtle light source is integrated to blend with various interiors, providing a calm atmosphere. The design's simple form and intuitive mechanism enable short breaks without disrupting the routine.
The Solic Incense Product by Woohyun Roh engages contemporary design discourse surrounding domestic wellness objects and the aesthetic dimensions of aromatherapy delivery systems, positioning itself within a broader movement that seeks to elevate everyday functional objects through refined formal language and material consideration. This design appears to participate in an ongoing conversation about how utilitarian household items can transcend mere function to become considered presences within living environments, objects that contribute to spatial atmosphere not only through their intended operation but through their visual and material qualities as sculptural elements in domestic tableaux. The compositional achievement of this work resides substantially in its masterful balance between geometric simplicity and functional complexity, wherein a seemingly straightforward arrangement of cylinder and disc conceals sophisticated consideration of airflow dynamics, ash containment, structural stability, and user interaction, all resolved within a formal vocabulary of exceptional restraint and clarity. The chromatic strategy demonstrates notable sophistication in its deployment of near-monochromatic neutrality punctuated by a single warm accent, the amber band functioning simultaneously as visual anchor, proportional divider, and chromatic event that prevents the design from receding into bland uniformity while maintaining overall tonal coherence. The material handling, whether the substrate proves to be ceramic, polymer, or metal composite, exhibits high-level finish quality and manufacturing precision, the uniformly smooth surfaces and crisp edge resolution suggesting either precision molding, careful turning, or advanced additive manufacturing followed by meticulous finishing operations. Particularly accomplished passages include the radiating rib pattern in the upper disc, which manages to suggest both decorative intention and functional ventilation necessity, creating visual interest through repetition and rhythm while serving practical requirements for smoke dispersal and ash collection, and the textured grip zone on the lower cylinder body, which introduces tactile variation precisely where human interaction occurs, demonstrating thoughtful attention to the embodied experience of object use. The work invites contemplation of how design can support ritualistic practices and mindful living, how the simple act of burning incense becomes elevated through considered object design, and how domestic spaces increasingly incorporate wellness practices that blur boundaries between functional necessity and contemplative luxury, suggesting that atmosphere cultivation through scent diffusion represents not merely olfactory manipulation but a holistic approach to environmental quality and psychological wellbeing that requires appropriate material embodiment and aesthetic framing.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Solic is an Insense product designed for office workers who have difficulty getting enough rest in their busy daily lives. When the timer is set and operated, the top of the product comes down and Insense is safely burned inside the product, reducing the worry of ash scattering in all directions or catching fire in surrounding furniture. In addition, it acts as a subtle light and is made with a design similar to that of lighting, which naturally blends with existing interiors.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- This product has a size of 230mm x 165mm x 230mm and includes components such as the disc, charger, external and internal tubes, and cartridge. Technically, it features auto ignition and mood lighting functions, allowing the incense stick to automatically operate for a preset duration. The soft lighting creates a relaxing atmosphere, optimizing the environment for rest. Additionally, the burned incense sticks gather at the bottom, making them easy to dispose of.
- Tags
- product, industrial, design, rest, incense
- Production Technology
- Solic integrates advanced technologies for a unique structure. Its anodized metal internal component ensures durability and resistance to corrosion and discoloration.
The injection-molded plastic outer shell offers a sleek, smooth finish, while maintaining a lightweight yet sturdy build for intricate designs.
The acrylic-molded terminal provides a transparent, smooth finish that diffuses soft lighting, enhancing both elegance and a calming ambiance. - Design Challenge
- The main task of this project was to make the electronic lighter a reality. Since there was no similar product on the market, it was difficult to turn this concept into a functional device. To ensure feasibility, we studied ignition technology, disassembled the electronic lighter, and analyzed how fire occurs to find a safe ignition mechanism. After numerous experiments and improvements, we found the optimal solution to bridge the gap between concept and reality and developed the product.
- Project Duration
- This project began in September 2024 in Sejong, South Korea, and was completed in December 2024. It was later exhibited on Hongik University Blueprint online platform. You can view our online exhibition through the public link below
- Operation Flow
- Our product, Solic is designed to automatically operate for a preset duration when an incense stick is placed inside. It emits soft lighting, creating an optimal indirect light environment for relaxation, so there's no need to turn on the main lights. Additionally, the burned incense sticks gather at the bottom, allowing for easy disposal all at once, providing a convenient and hassle-free experience for users.
- Research
- Our product, Solic is designed for busy professionals stuck in routine. The concept of time-poor is spreading, describing those who lack time for proper rest.
We aimed to create a product that helps users pause and recognize moments of rest after a long day. More than just relaxation, it encourages awareness of the need for rest and allows users to embrace it fully. This vision led to the creation of Solic. - Inspiration
- Modern life is full of repetitive routines, leaving little time for relaxation and easily missing moments of relaxation. Our product is created to provide busy workers with a little relaxation at the end of the day. Inspired by the sunset encountered on the way home from work, it conveys the warm colors of the sun and a calming atmosphere. The ultimate goal of our project is to provide users with a short but comfortable moment of relaxation in their busy daily lives.
- Image Credits
- Main Image : Designer woohyun roh, 2024
Optional Image #1 : Designer jiho lee, 2024.
Optional Image #2 : Designer yun oh, 2024.
Optional Image #3 : Designer woohyun roh, 2024.
Optional Image #4 : Designer yebeen ko, 2024.
Colors of Solic Incense Product
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Grand Interview about Solic Incense Product
Solic began with one clear insight: busy office workers crave a moment of truly personal rest. Because many cannot switch off work thoughts even during a short break, the act of resting often feels like another task. To solve that, we built the product around automation that lets users enter a relaxed state with zero effort. One press ignites the incense, and a gentle ambient light immediately calms the mind. We balanced colour and form so the device blends harmoniously anywhere in a room and always looks reassuring. By leading people unconsciously into a natural flow of rest, Solic enables effortless breaks inside their daily routine, ultimately improving work-life balance and overall quality of life.
Our design began with a wish to give exhausted minds and bodies a brief sanctuary after work. We chose the sunset on the commute home as our symbol: it marks the close of a hard day and the journey back to comfort. In our interpretation, sunset also implies tomorrow’s sunrise—a seamless cycle of closure and renewal. That philosophy shaped every material and colour decision. Instead of merely copying sunset hues, we used warm twilight tones that convey comfort, ease and inner calm, embedding the emotions of ending and beginning directly into the product.
The greatest hurdle in creating an automatic electronic lighter was the lack of prior examples. We searched for technologies with similar ignition profiles and focused on Heat-Not-Burn tobacco devices. Their high-temperature heating columns mirrored the needs of an incense stick. We bought several units, dismantled them, mapped every part and circuit, and ran repeated tests on prototypes that applied the same principles. Through a cycle of cross-industry benchmarking, structural and material analysis, and hands-on prototyping, we arrived at a stable, reliable electronic ignition solution.
Internal components face intense heat and friction, so we chose anodised metal with high hardness and wear resistance. That prevents wear during repeated ignition and extends product life. The exterior—constantly touched and seen by the user—is injection-moulded plastic. Moulding lets us create seamless curves that feel smooth in the hand and reflect light evenly, giving a calm visual impression. In short, anodised metal supplies functional durability, while the moulded shell delivers a soft, soothing aesthetic; each material fulfils its own role to provide a long-lasting yet comforting experience.
Modern professionals lack both time and mental space to stage a separate ‘rest ritual.’ Unlike a conventional holder, Solic is fully electronic with an automatic timer. Once switched on, subtle scent and soft light run for a set period without any further attention. The gentle glow and calm aroma seep into the background, guiding mind and body toward mindfulness without interrupting workflow—even while users focus on other tasks. The auto-off sequence removes fire risk and cleanup worries, so rest becomes safe, effortless and truly restorative.
As you noted, our core challenge was uniting the technical demands of burning incense with the emotional ambience of rest in a single object. Inside, air circulates naturally from bottom to top, while the exhaust port is centred on the upper section so fragrance spreads evenly yet never clutters the view. Ventilation is functionally essential, but we hid it within the form so the calming silhouette remains intact.
Early development centred on building a mechanism that could burn incense safely and automatically—minimising fire risk and simplifying use. Prototype testing, however, revealed that users felt just as strongly about sensory nuances: the slow drift of smoke, the moment the light comes on, and subtle changes in brightness. That feedback reminded us how crucial emotional resonance is, so we shifted from pure mechanics to the choreography of the senses. That pivot enriched Solic’s identity and deepened the user experience.
Solic’s ash-collection system was shaped directly by early user research. Many people said traditional holders scatter ash and are messy to clean. We therefore adopted an electronic format in which residue automatically gathers in a single sealed chamber. Users can now enjoy incense hygienically with no extra cleanup—proof that practical solutions often emerge straight from user insight.
Solic acts as a sensory switch that clarifies the boundary between work and home. After hours under harsh LEDs and screens, encountering its gentle scent and warm light signals the brain: ‘now it’s time to rest.’ By shifting body and mind from work mode to recovery mode, the device nurtures healthier routines. In that way, it does more than scent a room—it supports authentic work-life balance and could even help foster a wider culture of restorative downtime.
Recov is not merely a fragrance gadget; it is a catalyst for restoring sensory routines. Across Solic’s design we used visual, tactile and temporal cues to embody the value of rest. The form echoes sunrise and sunset so users recognise the day’s beginnings and endings. Warm-toned light reawakens the senses, while gestures—sliding in a stick, turning the dial—become deliberate acts that make the body pause. Each element helps users rediscover moments of peace that naturally fit into daily life.