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Constructing The Intangible Primarna funkcija: Konceptualna ilustracija by Yuanying He

Constructing The Intangible Primarna funkcija: Konceptualna ilustracija by Yuanying He is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Železna nagrada A' Design Award in Grafično oblikovanje, ilustracija in vizualna komunikacija Competition Category.


ŽeleznaGrafika· 2026

Constructing The Intangible Primarna funkcija: Konceptualna ilustracija

by Yuanying He

Client: K3ntiv3

Železna nagrada A' Design Award Winner in Grafika Category

Colors

The Design

About Constructing The Intangible Primarna funkcija: Konceptualna ilustracija

Besedilo knjige: Gradnja neotipljivega raziskuje spomin kot proces rekonstrukcije in ne ohranjanja. Navdihnjeno z bežnim vonjem cvetov pomela iz otroštva, delo uporablja arhitekturne elemente, kot so žerjavi, mreže in zamaknjene stopnice, za vizualizacijo strukture spominjanja. Spomin je predstavljen kot dejavno dejanje sestavljanja drobcev preteklosti za izgradnjo sedanje identitete. Z zadržanim strukturnim jezikom delo preoblikuje neotipljivo čutno izkušnjo v vidno prostorsko obliko.

The Recognition

About the Železna nagrada A' Design Award

Constructing The Intangible Primarna funkcija: Konceptualna ilustracija je prejemnik Železne nagrade A' Design Award, prestižnega priznanja, ki se podeljuje dobrim oblikovanjem, ki izpolnjujejo profesionalne in industrijske zahteve, pričakovane od dobro zasnovanih stvaritev. Prejemniki Železne nagrade kažejo veliko spretnost, visoko specializacijo, strokovno razumevanje in ustvarjalne zmožnosti svojih ustvarjalcev. Od Constructing The Intangible Primarna funkcija: Konceptualna ilustracija se pričakuje, da bo visoko cenjena, občudovana in ljubljena stvaritev, ki je praktična in inovativna. To oblikovanje, nagrajeno z Železno nagrado A' Design Award, vključuje najboljše prakse panoge in ima kompetentne tehnične lastnosti, povezane s strokovnim znanjem in talentom. Zaradi svoje temeljitosti si Constructing The Intangible Primarna funkcija: Konceptualna ilustracija zasluži spoštovanje in je zasnovan tako, da zagotavlja izboljšave kakovosti življenja, ki pomagajo narediti svet boljši kraj.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties
Constructing the Intangible explores the architecture of memory. This artwork examines how sensory fragments, specifically the ephemeral scent of the past, are reorganized. Memory is presented not as static preservation, but as an active secondary rendering shaped by narrative coherence. Utilizing a structural language bridging nature and architecture, the design transforms intangible sensory experiences into visible forms. Past fragments serve as scaffolding to support selfhood.
Dimensions & Packaging
High-resolution digital artwork.
Dimensions: 3600 x 3600 pixels.
Color space: RGB.
Format: Digital illustration suitable for print and screen display.
Tags
memory reconstruction, olfactory memory, architectural metaphor, narrative identity, secondary construction, spatial abstraction, sensory memory, autobiographical memory
Production Technology
The artwork was created using digital illustration techniques. A structured grid-based composition system was applied to organize spatial elements. Layered vector and raster rendering methods were combined to achieve depth and architectural precision. The visual system references drafting language and construction schematics to reinforce the conceptual framework.
Design Challenge
The primary challenge was translating an invisible and ephemeral sensory experience into a coherent spatial structure. The work avoids literal representation of scent and instead constructs a layered architectural system to express memory reconstruction. Balancing structural precision with emotional ambiguity required careful control of composition, grid systems, and visual hierarchy.
Research
This project explores autobiographical memory reconstruction through visual metaphor. Drawing from narrative identity theory and cognitive psychology, it investigates how memory is not a fixed recording but an active reconstruction shaped by perception and storytelling. Olfactory memory, particularly childhood scent associations, serves as an anchoring mechanism to translate intangible sensory recall into spatial and architectural language.
Inspiration
The inspiration originated from a simple observation: describing a dream after waking is already an act of secondary representation and reconstruction. The cool scent of pomelo blossoms from childhood serves as a sensory anchor. This fleeting memory is deconstructed into an orderly “construction site”. Cranes, grids, and misaligned staircases symbolize the subtle imperfections and ongoing rebuilding inherent in human recollection.
Project Duration
The project was conceptualized and completed in February 2026 in Shenzhen, China.
Operation Flow
The viewer engages with the artwork through visual navigation. Misaligned staircases, cranes, and grid structures guide the eye toward a central focal point, mirroring the cognitive process of memory reconstruction. The interaction is interpretive rather than functional, inviting reflection rather than instruction.
Patents
This project is an original conceptual artwork created by the artist. It is not associated with any registered patents or trademarks. All intellectual property rights belong solely to the artist.
Image Credits
All visual elements, illustrations, and conceptual content in this project are original works created solely by the artist. No third-party materials, stock images, templates, or external visual assets were used in the creation of this work.

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