Press Release
Suzhou University of Technology Receives the Bronze A' Design Award for Swimcar Modular Amphibious Evacuator in Futuristic Design
Suzhou University of Technology recognized for futuristic design by the international grand jury of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 16, 2026 /DesignNewswire/ A' Design Award & Competition has confirmed the Bronze A' Design Award in the Futuristic Design category for Swimcar Modular Amphibious Evacuator by Suzhou University of Technology. The recognition forms part of the 2025 - 2026 A' Design Award & Competition and was decided 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.
More About Swimcar Modular Amphibious Evacuator
Swimcar is a modular amphibious vehicle designed for flood-prone cities. The vehicle combines a sealed electric chassis with an independent cabin made of carbon fiber composite. A magnetic-hydraulic interface holds the two parts together during road use. When sensors detect rising water, the cabin is released and floats as a life raft, so passengers remain above the surface. An eco-benefit module purifies water through aeration and filtration while the vehicle travels. In-wheel motors provide propulsion on land and in water.
Award Record
This recognition makes Suzhou University of Technology a winner of 1 A' Design Award.
About the A' Futuristic Design Award
The A' Futuristic Design Award is an international futuristic design competition recognizing cutting-edge futuristic design concepts from designers worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to futuristic designers, futuristic brands, futuristic architects and concept product designers from all countries. Typical entries include conceptual architectures, advanced robotics, innovative transportation systems, futuristic fashion designs, progressive furniture pieces and next-gen electronic gadgets. The awarded futuristic designs are published at https://designers.org/design-category/futuristic
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is 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. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously 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. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which 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, uploading a work and receiving a 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. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://designers.org/181227
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/181227
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!181227
- Laureate Profile: https://designers.org/d/380146
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
- Swimcar Modular Amphibious Evacuator
- Function
- Modular Amphibious Evacuator
- Category
- Futuristic Design
- Discipline
- Design Strategy
- Industry
- Innovation and Design Industry
- Colors
- Dark Slate Gray, Dim Gray, Gray and Steel Blue
- Images
- 5
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Suzhou University of Technology
- Country
- China
- Recognition
- Bronze A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2025 - 2026
- Design ID
- #181227
Credits
- Team
- Weiwei Zhang
- Image Credits
- Designer Kun Wu, Modeler and Renderer Kun Wu, Swimcar Exterior Concept, 2026.; Designer Weiwei Zhang, 2026.; Designer Kun Wu, 2026.; Designer Kun Wu, Illustrator, 2026.
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Swimcar is a modular, Split-Body Amphibious system engineered for urban resilience. It integrates a high-performance electric chassis with an independent cabin. Unlike standard vehicles, its "Split-Body Logic" allows the cabin to detach instantly during floods as an autonomous "Life-Saving Ark." Furthermore, the "Eco-Benefit Module" actively purifies water via physical aeration and filtration. This innovation transforms transit into a net-positive ecological activity.
- Inspiration
- The inspiration for Swimcar stems from recurring tragedies where passengers are trapped in submerged vehicles during flash floods. Witnessing these preventable losses motivated a shift toward a Life-Safety First philosophy. By researching modular architecture and hydrodynamics, the Split-Body Logic was developed to address the failure of traditional automotive exits under hydraulic pressure.
- Research
- This applied design research aimed to eliminate urban drowning risks. Using a User-Centered Design methodology, I analyzed flood mortality data and hydraulic pressure physics. Tools included CFD simulation and modular architectural modeling. I interviewed emergency responders to identify vehicle escape failures. Results proved that a detachable buoyant cabin is more viable than waterproofing. This shift from "sealed" to "separable" design ensures life safety, offering a resilient model for future urban transit and insurance risk mitigation.
- Challenge
- The primary challenge was balancing structural unity with emergency detachment. Engineering a magnetic-hydraulic interface that remains rigid at highway speeds but releases instantly under water pressure required rigorous iterative modeling.
- Realization and Technology
- Swimcar utilizes a lightweight Carbon-Fiber composite shell for the cabin to ensure maximum buoyancy and structural integrity. The chassis features a sealed electric powertrain with high-torque in-wheel motors. The core innovation is the magnetic-hydraulic decoupling interface, allowing instantaneous separation under pressure. We employed CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) to optimize the hull's hydrodynamic efficiency and FEA (Finite Element Analysis) for crashworthiness.
- Operation and Interaction
- In daily use, Swimcar functions as a seamless commuter. On land, the cabin and chassis act as one; when entering water, the electric propulsion engages automatically. The "Split-Body" magic happens during emergencies: internal sensors detect rising water levels, triggering a hydraulic release that ejects the cabin. It transforms from a car into a buoyant life-raft instantly. This fail-safe interaction ensures passengers stay above water, performing better than any traditional seal.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project commenced in November 2025 and was developed over a three-month intensive design and research period. The design process and technical conceptualization were primarily conducted in Changshu, China. The project reached its final completion in January 2026, integrating comprehensive modular architectural studies and advanced amphibious system modeling.
- Specifications
- The Swimcar is designed to automotive-marine hybrid standards. Dimensions: 5,200 mm Length x 2,150 mm Width x 1,850 mm Height. The cabin features a 2,850 mm wheelbase for optimal stability. Technical properties include a IP68-rated dual-motor powertrain (350 kW output) and a high-capacity 120 kWh solid-state battery housed in a watertight lower bay. The "Life-Ark" cabin offers 8,500 liters of reserve buoyancy. Construction utilizes pre-preg carbon fiber and marine-grade 5083 aluminum alloy.
- Keywords
- Amphibious Mobility, Split-Body Logic, Urban Resilience, Life-Saving Ark, Eco-Benefit Module, Water Purification
