Junk Paradise Nā Kiʻi Hōʻiliʻili by Yawen Qiang

Junk Paradise Nā Kiʻi Hōʻiliʻili by Yawen Qiang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Keleawe in Hoʻolālā Mea Pāʻani, Pāʻani a me Lako Lealea Competition Category.

KeleaweMea Pāʻani· 2026

Junk Paradise Nā Kiʻi Hōʻiliʻili

by Yawen Qiang

Client: Yawen Qiang

A' Design Award Keleawe Winner in Mea Pāʻani Category

11,152

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #183308

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Junk Paradise Nā Kiʻi Hōʻiliʻili

He pūʻulu kiʻi hōʻiliʻili ʻo Junk Paradise i hoʻokumu ʻia ma luna o nā kiʻi holoholona a me nā moʻolelo pōkole. Hōʻike kēlā me kēia kiʻi i kekahi mea me kahi kīnā liʻiliʻi i hoʻololi ʻia i ikaika pāʻani. Hana ʻo Popo ka porcupine i ka popcorn e uhi ai i kona mau kui i hiki iā ia ke pūliki i kona mau hoaaloha. Holo ʻo Sushi ka pelikana i kahi huakaʻi nānā koholā no nā iʻa muliwai e makaʻu ana i ke kai. Ua hana ʻia nā kiʻi ma ke ʻano he kiʻi kālai kikohoʻe, ua hoʻomākaukau mua ʻia ma ka paʻi resin, a laila ua hoʻoheheʻe ʻia i ka resin. Hoʻopau ʻia kēlā me kēia mea me ka pena kīkī papa a me nā kikoʻī pena lima.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Keleawe

Ua lanakila ka hoʻolālā Junk Paradise Nā Kiʻi Hōʻiliʻili i ka A' Design Award Keleawe, he ʻike hoʻohanohano nui loa i hāʻawi ʻia i nā hoʻolālā kūʻokoʻa i ʻike ʻia ma o ka hana noʻeau, ka akamai a me ka makakoho. He mau hana mākaukau a hana noʻeau kupaianaha nā lanakila Keleawe e hōʻoia ana i ka ʻike nui, ka noʻonoʻo a me ka maʻalea o kā lākou poʻe hoʻolālā. Manaʻo ʻia ʻo ka hoʻolālā Junk Paradise Nā Kiʻi Hōʻiliʻili he mea i mahalo nui ʻia, hoʻohiwahiwa ʻia a aloha ʻia, he ʻoihana a hou loa. ʻO kēia hoʻolālā i lanakila i ka A' Design Award Keleawe e hoʻohui ana i nā hana maikaʻi loa o ka hana noʻeau, ka ʻepekema, ka hoʻolālā a me ka ʻenehana, a maikaʻi no kona nānā ʻana i nā kikoʻī. Hoʻokō maikaʻi ka hoʻolālā Junk Paradise Nā Kiʻi Hōʻiliʻili i nā pono, hoʻopā i ka makemake, hoʻohiwahiwa i nā manaʻo a huki i ka makemake e ʻike.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Junk Paradise is a narrative-driven collectible toy series exploring character design and storytelling. Everyone in the story has little imperfection, but they have fun in unique ways to overcome it.Popo the porcupine makes popcorn to cover his prickles so he can hug his friends while Sushi the pelican runs a whale-watching cruise for river fish afraid of the sea. Through playful characters and small stories, the collection celebrates imperfection and encourages everyone to be themselves, reminding people that everyone shines in their own unique way.
Dimensions & Packaging: Ducky, Duck, 20cm x 12cm x 11cm
Popo, Porcupine, 15cm x 8cm x 18cm
Sushi, Pelican, 16cm x 8cm x 16cm
Snowball, Horse, 18cm x 22cm x 12cm
Mr.All-Nighter, Raccoon, 13cm x 10cm x 16cm
Nani ,Crocodile, 9cm x 15cm x 7cm
Tags: Character Design, Story Telling, Art Toy, 3D sculpt, Whimsical, Narrative object, Junk Paradise, Designer Toy, Character Collection, Celebrate Imperfection
Production Technology: The project began with narrative development and character design, where stories and characters were explored through sketches and storyboards. The characters were then translated into digital 3D sculptures using ZBrush. Prototypes were realized through resin 3D printing, followed by curing, hand sanding, and surface refinement. Then the pieces are casted with resin. Final pieces were completed through layered spray painting to create depth and gradients, complemented by hand-painted details.
Design Challenge: The main challenge was translating the concept of imperfection into forms that remain visually appealing and emotionally engaging. By exploring subtle asymmetry, irregular details, diverse poses, and nuanced facial expressions, the project seeks to express character and narrative while maintaining aesthetic harmony, allowing users to intuitively connect with the pieces.
Research: This project is grounded in a reflection on the societal pursuit of perfection and explores how design can celebrate individuality through imperfection. By translating this concept into character driven forms, the research investigates how subtle variations, emotional cues, and story telling can foster empathy and self acceptance. The work aims to create a space where users can recognize value in difference and connect with these characters that reflect diverse ways of shining.
Inspiration: My inspiration comes from my daily observation of friends and wild animals. I like noticing the small imperfections in people and how they deal with them in their own ways. By using animals and their natural traits, I turn these observations into characters and stories about friendship, imperfection and being comfortable with who you are.
Project Duration: The project started in April.2019 in Los Angeles and was completed in Aug 2019 in Los Angeles. Later the project was exhibited at Lightbox Expo in Los Angeles, Designer Con in Vegas and CTN in Burbank.
Operation Flow: Junk Paradise creates a story-driven interaction that invites users to step into its world through observation, touch, and imagination. Defined by bold forms, expressive character design, and refined hand-crafted execution, each piece invites users to engage through subtle details and visual cues that suggest personality and narrative. The experience remains open-ended, allowing users to interpret, collect, and build personal connections, gradually revealing a quiet celebration of imperfection.
Team Members: Yawen Qiang