Gold Education, Teaching Aid and Training Content Design · 2020
Powerbox Wanja Learning Materials
by Jaehun Kim
- A' Design Award 2020 Gold Winner in Education, Teaching Aid and Training Content Design
- Awarded April 15, 2020
- CLIENT: Visang
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 67,233
- Verification code EFF051FBA7 · Verify this award
About Powerbox Wanja Learning Materials
Powerbox Wanja is a study book series designed for elementary school students. The series applies the Powerbox Learning Method, in which learning concepts are split into small parts placed inside square frames. Twenty books cover all elementary school grades, and each subject is given a separate color for easier recognition. Cube-shaped characters appear on the covers, and four books form a large cube shape when combined. Paper toy kits are included, so learners can build cube figures, an activity that supports spatial cognition and holds interest.
VISANG's Powerbox Wanja Learning Materials presents a compelling case study in contemporary educational design, demonstrating how visual communication strategies can transform pedagogical content into objects of genuine appeal for young learners. The design system draws upon the global phenomenon of pixel-art gaming aesthetics, translating the familiar visual language of digital play into printed educational materials, thereby bridging recreational screen experiences with focused study activities. Each volume within the series employs a distinctive chromatic identity—coral pink, vibrant green, warm orange, and sky blue—facilitating immediate subject recognition while collectively forming a cohesive family through consistent typographic treatment, character design, and compositional structure. The pixel-art mascot characters, rendered with deliberate blockiness reminiscent of early video game sprites, serve multiple functions: they humanize abstract subject matter, create memorable visual associations, and establish emotional connection through their approachable, cheerful expressions. The inclusion of three-dimensional paper craft figures extends the learning experience beyond page-based content, inviting physical manipulation and creative construction that reinforces the digital-to-physical translation central to the design concept. Technical execution demonstrates sophisticated understanding of color psychology in educational contexts, with the saturated palette maintaining visual energy and engagement while the systematic organization communicates curriculum structure with clarity. The stepped display arrangement in this presentation emphasizes the comprehensive nature of the learning system while allowing each component to claim individual attention. What possibilities might emerge when educational materials embrace the visual languages that children already find compelling, transforming study from obligation into invitation?
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Wanja is a brand that enhances the learning skills of elementary school students using the Powerbox Learning Method, a learning system that splits concepts into digestible bits that are put into boxes to help children learn them more quickly, and to motivate them to do so. Making various box-shaped paper toys provided with the study book not only captures the learners’ interest but also improves their spatial cognition skills.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Wanja is a study book series for all elementary school grades and is composed of twenty books. Each book is 230mm by 304mm by 15mm, with paper toy specifications that differ by unit.
- Tags
- Elementary School Study Book, Powerbox Learning Method, Learning Confidence, Child’s Smile, Polyhedron, Cube, Curiosity, Creativity, Paper Toy
- Production Technology
- Wanja makes active use of orange colors, with a symbol design showing a child who is smiling to deliver a brand atmosphere that is bright and fun. The graphic motif of the character design is the cube, which is used throughout to pique the interest of learners. Academic subjects are assigned different colors to make the materials easier to recognize. Areas on the cover design of the study book in particular were coated with glossy material to maximize the visual effect.
- Design Challenge
- We researched what elementary school students are interested in, while at the same time studying the graphic motifs that can best represent the Powerbox Learning Method. As a result, we selected the cube as the graphic motif, as it can be changed and expressed in different ways. We then selected cube-shaped game characters preferred by elementary school students, which were implemented in the cover design and paper toy kits to complete a consistent brand design.
- Project Duration
- This project began in Seoul, Korea in August 2019 and wrapped up in January 2020. The series will be sold in Korea beginning in March 2020.
- Operation Flow
- From cover designs using cube-shaped characters as graphic motifs to the Powerbox Learning Method used in the text and cube-shaped paper toy making activities, Wanja provides a consistent brand experience. The vivid colors in the cover design provide a bright brand image, while paper toy making delivers an enjoyable brand experience.
- Research
- Digital natives are unique in being used to consuming short frame-based content items. Using this idea, we developed a system called the Powerbox Learning Method in which learning concepts are split into bits that are organized into square frames. The series also provides paper toy kits of cube-shaped characters to deliver the smile and enjoyment brand value. Twelve different types of toys attract the interest of learners, and collecting them provides learners another level of entertainment.
- Inspiration
- The paper toys are designed using various cube-shaped characters, which are also allocated in different forms on the cover of the textbook. The four study books are designed such that a large cube shape can be shown when they are combined together. The text inside the book also makes use of square design elements to complete a consistent brand identity.
Colors of Powerbox Wanja Learning Materials
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