On February 26, the winners of the iF Design Award 2025 were announced. Among them, the team of Chen Xue and Cao Huai from the Department of Industrial Design, the School of Mechanical Science and Engineering of HUST won the iF Design Award 2025. Their renovation design program stood out from over 10,800 global entries.

Focused on the practical needs of faculty, students, and research teams from the Department of Industrial Design, the project aims to create a dynamic and diverse environment for learning, research, communication, and demonstration on campus through spatial renovation and functional improvements.

With the increasing innovative needs of the school, the former teaching space of East Building 1 revealed limitations, including a lack of versatility and inefficient space utilization. In response, the team carried out a comprehensive spatial reorganization and functional zoning on the fourth floor.After two and a half years of refinement and a deepening understanding of the school’s STAR culture, an open and shared innovation environment has replaced the previously enclosed and constrained one. The highlight of the design lies in its interpretation of the open and shared principle, which guided a series of redesigns to optimize spatial flow.

In terms of functional design, the program emphasizes flexibility and variability of space. For instance, the Eye of Spacetime, a multifunctional demonstration hall, takes advantage of a round platform and rotatable panels to enable flexible space configurations for displays, performances and communication. The furniture in the conference room is modular and adaptable, meeting the needs of diverse application scenarios; while the open discussion area provides space for communication. Additionally, this program integrates smart devices and eco-friendly concepts, further enhancing space efficiency and comfort through intelligent multimedia systems and energy-efficient materials.

Established in 1954, the iF Design Award is a globally recognized honor for excellence in design and innovation. Alongside the Red Dot Design Award and the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), it is regarded as the Three Major Design Awards.

Written by: She Chen

Edited by: Zhan Xinrui, Chang Wen, Peng Yumeng