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Roots Зинҳо by Xun Zuo

Roots Зинҳо by Xun Zuo is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 Ҷоизаи биринҷии A' Design Award in Дизайни медиаи чопӣ ва нашрия Competition Category.


БиринҷЧоп· 2025

Roots Зинҳо

by Xun Zuo

Client: Xunzuodesign

Ҷоизаи биринҷии A' Design Award Winner in Чоп Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #172635

Colors

The Design

About Roots Зинҳо

Ин нашри модулӣ аз зинҳо иборат аст, ки ҳар кадоме бо забони визуалӣ офарида шуда, ҳувияти ҳикоятгӯёнро инъикос мекунад. Бо марказият ба қаҳвахонаҳои Ню-Йорк, он чӣ гуна муҳоҷирони нав ба алоқа ва тааллуқот роҳ меёбанд, нишон медиҳад. Формати дӯхта ва дар вакуум муҳрзанӣ шуда гузарандагӣ ва шиддати эҳсосотиро бармеангезад. Тавассути ҳикояҳои шахсӣ, лоиҳа арзиши иҷтимоии корхонаҳои хурдро ошкор мекунад ва тарроҳии эҳсосотиро ҳамчун воситаи фарогирӣ аз нав муайян мекунад.

The Recognition

About the Ҷоизаи биринҷии A' Design Award

Roots Зинҳо ғолиби Ҷоизаи биринҷии A' Design Award аст, ки эътирофи басо обрӯманд буда, ба тарҳҳои барҷаста дода мешавад, ки бо эҷодкорӣ, зеҳни тез ва зиракӣ фарқ мекунанд. Ғолибони биринҷ артефактҳои хеле моҳир ва ба таври ҷолиб эҷодкоронаанд, ки таҷрибаи васеъ, тасаввурот ва зеҳни тарроҳони худро тасдиқ мекунанд. Интизор меравад, ки Roots Зинҳо ашёи хеле қадршуда, мавриди таҳсин ва маҳбуб бошад, ки ба таври назаррас касбӣ ва навоварона аст. Ин тарҳи ғолиби Ҷоизаи биринҷии A' Design Award беҳтарин амалияро дар санъат, илм, тарроҳӣ ва технология дар бар мегирад ва бо диққати худ ба тафсилот аъло аст. Roots Зинҳо эҳтиёҷотро бо зебоӣ қонеъ мекунад, ба хостаҳо даст мерасонад, эҳсосотро мафтун месозад ва кунҷковиро ҷалб мекунад.

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.

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