Roots Ma-zines by Xun Zuo is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award in Mapangidwe a Zosindikizidwa ndi Zofalitsidwa Competition Category.

BronzeZosindikizidwa· 2025

Roots Ma-zines

by Xun Zuo

Client: Xunzuodesign

Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award Winner in Zosindikizidwa Category

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Colors

The Design

About Roots Ma-zines

Kasulidwe kamagawo kosiyanasiyana kumaphatikiza ma-zines, iliyonse wopangidwa ndi chinenero chowoneka chosonyeza zidziwitso za anthu onena nkhani. Kazungulira malo ogulitsira khofi ku New York, kakugwira momwe anthu osamukira kumene atsopano amapeza kulumikizana ndi kukhala nawo. Mawonekedwe osokana ndi kutsekera m'mpweya akusonyeza kusakhazikika ndi kupsinjika kwamaganizo. Kudzera m'nkhani zamunthu payekha, ntchitoyi ikuvumbula phindu lachikhalidwe cha mabizinesi ang'onoang'ono ndipo imasintha kapangidwe kamaganizo kukhala chida chophatikizira anthu.

The Recognition

About the Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award

Roots Ma-zines ndi mmodzi mwa opambana a Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award, kuzindikirika kolemekezeka kwambiri komwe kumaperekedwa kwa mapangidwe abwino kwambiri omwe amaonekera ndi luso lolenga, kuchenjera ndi nzeru zakuthwa. Opambana a Bronze ndi zinthu zaluso kwambiri ndi zolenga modabwitsa zomwe zimatsimikizira zochitika zazikulu, kulingalira ndi kuchenjera kwa opanga awo. Roots Ma-zines akuyembekezeka kukhala chinthu choyamikiridwa, chosirira ndi chokondedwa, chaukatswiri wapadera ndi chatsopano. Mapangidwe opambana Mphoto ya Bronze ya A' Design Award awa amaphatikiza machitidwe abwino kwambiri a luso, sayansi, kapangidwe ndi ukadaulo ndipo ndi abwino kwambiri chifukwa cha kusamala kwawo zazing'ono. Roots Ma-zines amakwaniritsa zosowa mokongola, kukhudza zilakolako, kukopa mitima ndi kudzutsa chidwi.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: A book of zines, each a voice, a mood, a rhythm. Designed with visualized personal styles from the storyteller, these fragments emerge from coffee shops in New York, where new immigrants seek connection in a fast moving city. Loosely sewn and vacuum sealed, the form speaks of impermanence. This modular archive becomes both vessel and invitation, mapping emotion, honoring small businesses, and asking what design can do when it listens.
Dimensions & Packaging: 203.2 mm x 139.7 mm zine, 6 zines total, 120 pages, printed media with sewn binding, vacuum sealed in a plastic bag.
Tags: Zine, Book, Ethnographic Research, Branding, Customer Experience
Production Technology: A modular collection of zines, each using different paper stocks, printing methods, and a mix of sewn and Coptic binding. Every material choice was shaped by conversations with storytellers. Inspired by the Chinese Red Thread legend, the bindings reflect connection and distance. A business card included in the set acts as an invitation, extending the narrative and welcoming new voices into the ongoing story.
Design Challenge: The biggest challenge was conducting interviews with storytellers in a neutral, non leading way, helping them share their stories without guiding them toward specific narratives about their relationship with coffee and local culture. This was particularly challenging because the influence of environment, brand design, and tone on consumers, especially who are not native speakers, is often indirect.
Research: This research combines qualitative and quantitative methods to explore how coffee connects foreign individuals to local communities. It aims to understand how cafe branding influences consumer decision making. Data was collected through interviews, questionnaires, and cultural probes with over 40 participants. The findings emphasize the significance of emotional connections in branding and suggest that businesses can enhance consumer engagement by focusing on emotional design in real life interactions.
Inspiration: Coffee branding often reflects local culture and community, as coffee shops serve as social anchors. As a former international student, I saw coffee, a global symbol, as a bridge to belonging. I visited local cafes across New York, gathering stories from outsiders and navigating connections. This project is both a storytelling platform and a reflection on how brand and experience design shape human relationships.
Project Duration: An ongoing project started in August 2022. The most recent update was in July 2024.
Operation Flow: This book, or zine collection, connects with readers through print in a tangible way. Its unique visual language tells stories while reflecting the personal style of each storyteller. The first zine introduces the inspiration of the project, followed by others sharing diverse stories, reinforcing community. The final zine guides readers on how to participate and invites them to contribute. A business card on the vacuum sealed packaging provides submission details.