Modu Waka Tāone by Daniel Henneh is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award Rino in Hoahoa Waka, Nekehanga me te Hari Competition Category.

RinoWaka· 2025

Modu Waka Tāone

by Daniel Henneh

Client: Modu

A' Design Award Rino Winner in Waka Category

47,095

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #171148

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Modu Waka Tāone

Ko Modu he waka tāone hanganga-wehewehe i hangaia mō te nekeneke ā-tāone. Kua hangaia te waka ki runga i ngā wāhanga taupatupatu. He rite tonu te rama-aroaro mauī me te matau, waihoki ko ngā whakaata, ngā pargames mua me muri (bumpers), te pūnaha whakaneke me te chassis. Mā tēnei tikanga e whakaiti ai te maha o ngā wāhanga, te utu hanga me te kaha hiko e whakamahia ana i te wā hanga. Ko te tinana he mea hanga mai i ngā papa konumohe (aluminium) kua tapahia ki te rama-hihi (laser) ā, kua piko, kua whakamaru anō hoki (anodized). Kei roto anō he pūnaha whakaneke hiko, ngā ihiihi (motors) kei roto i ngā wīra, me te taunoa hau (air suspension). Ka whakaritea te waka ki te ipurangi i te wā e hokona ana, ā, ka taea te whakarerekē i ngā wāhanga i muri iho, kia rite ai ki ngā hiahia e huri ana.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Rino

Ko Modu Waka Tāone te toa o te A' Design Award Rino, he whakaaetanga whai mana e hoatu ana ki ngā hoahoa pai e whakatutuki ana i ngā hiahia ngaio me te ahumahi e tūmanakohia ana mai i ngā mahi kua hoahoatia pai. Ko ngā toa Rino e whakaatu ana i te pukenga nui, te tohungatanga teitei, te māramatanga mātanga me te kaha auaha o ō rātou kaihanga. E tūmanakohia ana ko Modu Waka Tāone he mahi whakanuia, whakamīharotia, aroha nui, he whaihua, he auaha hoki. Ko tēnei hoahoa i toa i te Rino e whakakotahi ana i ngā tikanga pai rawa o te ahumahi, ā, he āhuatanga hangarau pūkenga tōna e hono ana ki te mōhio me te pūmanawa. E whakahonoretia ana a Modu Waka Tāone mō tōna tōtika, ā, i hoahoatia hei whakapai ake i te kounga o te oranga me te āwhina i te ao kia pai ake.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Modu is designed around modularity and interchangeability of components. It can be configured both at purchase and later as the need changes without buying a new vehicle. Modu introduces the concept of interchangeability, for instance, the left and right headlights are identical, the driving mirrors, the front and back bumpers, even the drive system and chassis system. This significantly reduces the manufacturing cost, energy and subsequently a smaller environmental footprint.
Dimensions & Packaging: Modu is modular so the dimension will vary base on the configuration. Minimum configuration 1.8m length x 0.85m width x 1.5m height
Electric drivetrain, In-wheel electric motor, air suspension, laser cut and bent anodized aluminum body panels.
Tags: Modular, City Car, Urban Mobility, Sustainable Design, Electric Vehicle, Interchangeable Components, Lightweight, Innovative, Compact, Energy Efficient, Flexible
Production Technology: The design of Modu was made possible through Design Thinking. Early ideas were captured via sketching, white boarding and sticky notes to capture critical features. These ideas were then refined through peer interviews and feedback. Iterative sketches led to CAD modeling in Siemens NX, with FDM 3D printing to validating key technical features. Realistic renderings in Keyshot and composition in Photoshop were used to visualize the vehicle and its potential use cases.
Design Challenge: The main challenge was combining complete modularity with aesthetics and structural integrity, a tough balance since these often conflict. The inspiration for Modu's exoskeleton design is from military vehicles, this simplified the design and reduced part count. Additionally, making the parts interchangeable was a challenge but crucial, for instance the left and right headlights are interchangeable, even driving mirrors, the bumpers, the drive system and many other components.
Research: Extensive academic research on urban mobility trends, material options, and advanced manufacturing, combined with user-centered design principles, drove Modu’s development. Informal interviews and digital prototypes captured local transportation insights and spurred iterative refinements. This research and feedback validated the need for a sustainable, adaptable vehicle, guiding design choices toward superior modularity, energy efficiency, and operational versatility.
Inspiration: I grew up in Ghana, West Africa where transportation continues to be an issue. Seeing first hand the potential of a highly optimized vehicle to impact lives, I was inspired to design a brilliant yet affordable solutions. Modu is designed to give the customer absolute freedom to configure the vehicle at the time of purchase and even later as their need changes without needing to buy a completely new car.
Project Duration: Project started in August 2024 in San Jose California and finished in January 2025
Operation Flow: The unique experience of this vehicle to starts right with the purchasing experience; The customer will configure the new Modu on an online platform where key elements such as size, specific modules and intended use can be chosen.
the vehicle is then delivered after a few days due to the ease of customization.
Operating Modu will be extremely easy with the ability to use the smartphone as a dashboard hence all the users music , frequently visited locations, contacts, etc all comes along for the ride on seamless experience.