Skip to content
Roots زینز by Xun Zuo

Roots زینز by Xun Zuo is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award کانسی دا انعام in چھپائی تے شائع شدہ میڈیا ڈیزائن Competition Category.


کانسیچھپائی· 2025

Roots زینز

by Xun Zuo

Client: Xunzuodesign

A' Design Award کانسی دا انعام Winner in چھپائی Category

51,141

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #172635

Colors

The Design

About Roots زینز

ایہ ماڈیولر اشاعت زینز تے مشتمل ہے، جنہاں وچوں ہر اک بصری زبان نال تیار کیتی گئی ہے جیہڑی کہانی سنݨ آلیاں دی شناخت دی عکاسی کردی ہے۔ نیو یارک دیاں کافی شاپاں دے گرد مرکوز، ایہ ایں گل نوں پکڑدی ہے کہ نویں تارکین وطن کیویں رشتے تے تعلق دی راہ لبھدے ہن۔ سلائی تے ویکیوم سیل شدہ شکل عارضیت تے جذباتی کشیدگی نوں اجاگر کردی ہے۔ ذاتی بیانیاں دے ذریعے، ایہ منصوبہ چھوٹے کاروباراں دی سماجی قدر نوں ظاہر کردا ہے تے جذباتی ڈیزائن نوں شمولیت دے اوزار دے طور تے نویں انداز وچ پیش کردا ہے۔

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award کانسی دا انعام

Roots زینز A' Design Award کانسی دا انعام دا جتݨ والا ہے، ڈاڈھی معزز پچھاݨ جیڑھی تخلیقی صلاحیت، اختراع تے ذہانت نال ممتاز بہترین ڈیزائناں کوں ݙتی ویندی ہے۔ کانسی دے جتݨ والے بھرپور مہارت والے تے نمایاں طور تے تخلیقی شاہکار ہن، جیڑھے اپݨے ڈیزائنراں دے وسیع تجربے، تخیل تے ہوشیاری دی تصدیق کریندے ہن۔ Roots زینز کنوں امید کیتی ویندی ہے جو او ہک بہوں قدر کیتی ہوئی، سراہی ہوئی تے پیاری چیز ہوسی، قابل ذکر حد تئیں پیشہ ورانہ تے جدت والی۔ ایہ ڈیزائن جنہاں A' Design Award کانسی دا انعام جتیا ہے، فن، سائنس، ڈیزائن تے ٹیکنالوجی وچ بہترین طریقے شامل کریندا ہے تے چھوٹیاں تفصیلاں ول دھیان ݙیوݨ کنوں شاندار ہے۔ Roots زینز ضرورتاں خوبصورتی نال پوریاں کریندا ہے، خواہشاں کوں چھوہندا ہے، جذبیاں کوں موہندا ہے تے تجسس کھچیندا ہے۔

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.

Sponsored

Explore Beyond Designers.org

Discover products, services and opportunities from our advertising partners.

Good Design Deserves Great Recognition

The A' Design Award is an international, juried accolade for good design. Take part in the A' Design Award to get an opportunity to earn meritocratic recognition, gain fame, prestige and publicity for your work. Nominate your work for the A' Design Award and compete for the coveted A' Design Prize.

Nominate