Skip to content
Light Leaf Päevavalgust suunav ribakardin by Leijing Zhou

Light Leaf Päevavalgust suunav ribakardin by Leijing Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Pronksauhind A' Design Award in Ehitusmaterjalide ja ehituskomponentide disain Competition Category.


PronksEhituskomponendid· 2026

Light Leaf Päevavalgust suunav ribakardin

by Leijing Zhou

Client: Zhejiang University

Pronksauhind A' Design Award Winner in Ehituskomponendid Category

Colors

Email this page

The Design

About Light Leaf Päevavalgust suunav ribakardin

LightLeaf on päevavalgust suunav ribakardinasüsteem kodudele, kus loomulikku valgust on vähe. Tavapärased ribid on asendatud reguleeritavate valgust juhtivate labadega, mis püüavad ümbritsevat päevavalgust ja peegeldavad selle sügavamale ruumi. Labad ühendavad kõrge peegeldusvõimega ülapinna ja hajutava alumise viimistluse, et kontrollida pimestamist. Kerge alumiiniumraam koos pöördhingede ja asendilukkudega võimaldab seadme väljapoole lükata, kui on vaja rohkem päevavalgust. Süsteem toetab moodulipõhist valmistamist ja mitteinvasiivset paigaldust olemasolevatele aknaraamidele.

The Recognition

About the Pronksauhind A' Design Award

Light Leaf Päevavalgust suunav ribakardin on Pronksauhinna A' Design Award võitja, väga prestiižikas tunnustus, mis antakse silmapaistvatele disainidele, mida iseloomustavad loovus, leidlikkus ja teravmeelsus. Pronksvõitjad on küllaldaselt osavad ja tabavalt loovad teosed, mis kinnitavad oma disainerite laia kogemust, kujutlusvõimet ja leidlikkust. Light Leaf Päevavalgust suunav ribakardin peaks olema kõrgelt hinnatud, imetletud ja armastatud objekt, mis on märkimisväärselt professionaalne ja uuenduslik. See Pronksauhinna A' Design Award võidudisain ühendab parimaid tavasid kunstis, teaduses, disainis ja tehnoloogias ning on suurepärane oma detailidele pööratud tähelepanu poolest. Light Leaf Päevavalgust suunav ribakardin rahuldab suurepäraselt vajadusi, puudutab soove, võlub tundeid ja pakub huvi uudishimule.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties
LightLeaf is a daylight-redirecting louver system for living spaces with insufficient natural light. By replacing conventional blind slats with adjustable light-guiding blades, it captures ambient daylight and redirects it deeper indoors, creating soft, even illumination without daytime electricity. Designed for low-floor, north-facing, or compact residences, LightLeaf improves visual comfort and spatial quality while balancing privacy, safety, and energy efficiency.
Dimensions & Packaging
900mm x 80mm x 1350mm
Tags
Daylight redirecting system, Light-guiding louvers, Passive daylighting, Energy-efficient housing, Urban living solutions, Non-invasive installation, Sustainable architecture, Indoor environmental quality
Production Technology
LightLeaf integrates a lightweight aluminum frame with pivot hinges, position locks, and adjustable louver assemblies. The dual-surface louvers combine a high-reflectance upper coating with a diffusive lower finish to enable controlled daylight redirection. The system is engineered for modular fabrication and non-invasive installation on existing window frames. Its design development referenced passive daylighting principles, facade engineering strategies, and basic optical reflection modeling to optimize light distribution efficiency and glare control.
Design Challenge
The main challenge was converting a conventional shading device into an effective daylighting system without adding complexity. It required balancing light redirection, glare control, privacy, and structural stability within existing window constraints. Building regulations and wind resistance were key external factors. The solution focused on simplifying the mechanism while maintaining performance and safety.
Research
This project is based on applied design research addressing insufficient daylight in residential spaces. The goal was to redesign a familiar window element to improve indoor light quality without electricity. Field observations of low-floor and north-facing homes were combined with simple daylight behavior studies and visual simulations. Results showed that redirecting light upward reduces glare and increases brightness deeper inside, improving comfort and energy efficiency through minimal structural intervention.
Inspiration
This project was inspired by the widespread issue of underlit living spaces, especially low-floor, north-facing, or obstructed residences. Observations of residents relying on temporary reflective panels and daytime artificial lighting revealed the need for a more effective and integrated solution. Drawing from passive daylighting principles, LightLeaf reimagines conventional blinds as a light-guiding system to improve indoor environmental quality without additional energy use.
Project Duration
The project commenced in October 2025 and was completed in January 2026.
Operation Flow
LightLeaf functions like a regular blind in daily use, allowing users to adjust the slats for shading and privacy. When more daylight is needed, the lock is released and the unit is gently pushed outward. By rotating the blades, incoming light is reflected upward and distributed deeper into the room. This simple transformation redirects natural light more evenly, reducing glare near the window while brightening darker areas indoors.
Team Members
Keyin Chen
Leijing Zhou
Qikai Tang
Yi Zhou
Rui Yao
Menghan Li
Yijun Zhao
Bingjing Fang

Sponsored

Explore Beyond Designers.org

Discover products, services and opportunities from our advertising partners.

Good Design Deserves Great Recognition

Nominate Your Work for the A' Design Award.

Nominate