Panini101 Ladegerät by Wenxi Qi is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award in Bronze in Unterhaltungselektronik Competition Category.

BronzeUnterhaltungselektronik· 2026

Panini101 Ladegerät

by Wenxi Qi

Client: PaniniClub

A' Design Award in Bronze Winner in Unterhaltungselektronik Category

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The Design

About Panini101 Ladegerät

Panini101 ist ein Desktop-Schnellladegerät in Form eines Miniatur-Computertowers aus der Frühzeit des PCs. Ein transparentes Sichtfenster gibt den Blick auf die inneren Komponenten frei – im Gegensatz zur geschlossenen Bauform der meisten modernen Elektronikgeräte. Eine magnetische Klappe und eine stabile, tischtaugliche Form laden zum Anfassen ein und wecken Neugier. Eine Leistungsarchitektur auf Galliumnitrid-Basis sowie adaptive Ladeprotokolle ermöglichen eine Ausgangsleistung von bis zu 100 W und das gleichzeitige Laden mehrerer Geräte. Das Gehäuse besteht aus spritzgegossenem, flammhemmendem PC-ABS. Ziel ist es, die emotionale Verbindung zwischen Mensch und Technik wiederherzustellen.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award in Bronze

Panini101 Ladegerät ist Gewinner des A' Design Award in Bronze, einer hochprestigeträchtigen Anerkennung für herausragende Designs, die sich durch Kreativität, Einfallsreichtum und Scharfsinn auszeichnen. Bronze-Gewinner sind reichlich geschickte und auffallend kreative Artefakte, die die große Erfahrung, Fantasie und Findigkeit ihrer Designer belegen. Von Panini101 Ladegerät wird erwartet, dass es ein hochgeschätztes, bewundertes und geliebtes Objekt ist, das bemerkenswert professionell und innovativ ist. Dieses mit dem A' Design Award in Bronze prämierte Design verkörpert bewährte Verfahren in Kunst, Wissenschaft, Design und Technologie und ist hervorragend in seiner Liebe zum Detail. Panini101 Ladegerät befriedigt Bedürfnisse auf großartige Weise, berührt Wünsche, bezaubert Gefühle und spricht die Neugier an.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

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.
Dimensions & Packaging: 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.
Tags: power adaptor, charger, consumer electronics, retro design, emotional design, collectible, industrial design
Production 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.
Design 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.
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.
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.
Project Duration: 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.
Operation Flow: 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.
Patents: Patent Pending. Design Patent Application. PaniniClub LLC. 2025. United States.
Copyrights belong to PaniniClub LLC, 2024.
Trademark (2025) PaniniClub.
Trademark (2025) Panini101.
Image Credits: Image #1: Photographer Justin Doherty (Photographer) Justin Doherty, Panini101 Product Photography, 2026.
Image #2: Creator Hengbo Zhang (Industrial Designer) Hengbo Zhang, Panini101 Product Visualization, 2026.
Image #3: Creator Yanhui Ban (Industrial Designer) Yanhui Ban, Panini101 Product Visualization, 2025.
Image #4: Creator Hengbo Zhang (Industrial Designer) Hengbo Zhang, Panini101 Product Visualization, 2025.
Image #5: Creator Yanhui Ban (Industrial Designer) Yanhui Ban, Panini101 Product Visualization, 2024.

Video Credits: Hengbo Zhang and Yanhui Ban, Panini101 Product Video, 2026.