Emotion Protocol 动态装置 by Zhenglong Yang is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award 铁奖 in 装置设计 Competition Category.

铁装置· 2025

Emotion Protocol 动态装置

by Zhenglong Yang

A' Design Award 铁奖 Winner in 装置 Category

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Verified Award Winner

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The Design

About Emotion Protocol 动态装置

《情感协议》是一件动态装置作品，由多个安装在旋转机械装置上的四面佛头组成。每个佛头的灵感源自传统佛教雕像，配备电机以实现预设的旋转模式。佛头的同步运动营造出动态视觉效果，凸显了传统造型与现代机械之间的对比。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 铁奖

Emotion Protocol 动态装置是 A' Design Award 铁奖得主，这是授予满足人们对设计精良的创作所期待的专业与工业要求的优良设计的声望认可。铁奖得主展现出其创作者的高超技艺、高度专业化、专家级的理解力和创造能力。预计Emotion Protocol 动态装置将成为一件备受推崇、令人钦佩且被珍爱的创作，既实用又创新。这件赢得 A' Design Award 铁奖的设计整合了行业最佳实践，并拥有与专业知识和才华相结合的称职技术特性。Emotion Protocol 动态装置因其严谨而受到尊重，旨在提供有助于让世界变得更美好的生活品质改善。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: "Emotion Protocol" juxtaposes human nature's emotional complexity with the rigid, machine-like existence imposed by societal and familial expectations. The installation represents this contrast through rotating four-faced Buddha statues driven by a mechanical system.
Dimensions & Packaging: 457.2(W), 457.2(D), 1100(H) cm
Tags: Kinetic, Installation, Buddhism, Four-face Buddha, Emotion
Production Technology: This project features 3D-printed Buddha heads crafted in resin, CNC-milled acrylic pedestals for elegant structural support, and a customized PCB(printed circuit board) for precise control of stepper motors. The algorithm, programmed and integrated into the control system, orchestrates the kinetic movements, embodying emotional narratives. Leveraging physical computing, the design merges technology and artistry, ensuring a seamless integration of hardware and conceptual intent.
Design Challenge: The biggest challenge was balancing the symbolic depth of the four-faced Buddha with the mechanical precision of the installation. Integrating spiritual iconography into a technological framework required extensive research into cultural narratives and emotional theory. Technical hurdles included designing custom PCBs and achieving seamless motor synchronization for dynamic storytelling. Limited resources for advanced fabrication and algorithm testing added complexity, pushing innovation in blending tradition with modern design methodologies.
Research: The four-faced Buddha symbolizes the interconnectedness of human emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. In this work, the rotating faces represent shifting emotional states, blending ancient philosophies with modern discussions on emotional suppression, societal expectations, and mechanized behavior. This reinterpretation highlights the universality of emotions, encouraging viewers to reflect on their own emotional landscapes.
Inspiration: Inspired by the Chinese saying "joy, anger, sadness, happiness," which poetically represents human emotions, and the Buddhist four-faced Buddha statues, this piece fuses traditional symbolism with programmed mechanisms. It reflects the tension between humanity's rich emotional landscape and the societal pressures, particularly in East Asian cultures, to suppress and eliminate subjective emotions. This conflict pushes individuals into a mechanized existence, where they become tiny parts of a vast collective machine, bound by rules and protocols to meet the expectations of family and society.
Project Duration: The project started in September 2024 in New York and finished in December 2024 in New York, and was exhibited in RacketNYC in December 2024.
Operation Flow: This project invites viewers to observe rotating Buddha heads, each with four faces representing different emotions. The heads rotate in pre-programmed patterns, symbolizing shifting emotional states. The interaction is passive yet thought-provoking, viewers reflect on the emotions represented. The synchronized motion creates a mesmerizing flow, highlighting the tension between human feelings and mechanical precision, making it uniquely engaging and impactful.
Image Credits: Photo credits: Audrey Chou