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Panini101 充電器 by Wenxi Qi

Panini101 充電器 by Wenxi Qi is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award 銅獎 in 消費電子產品設計 Competition Category.


銅消費電子· 2026

Panini101 充電器

by Wenxi Qi

Client: PaniniClub

A' Design Award 銅獎 Winner in 消費電子 Category

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Verified Award Winner

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The Design

About Panini101 充電器

Panini101係一款造型好似迷你早期電腦主機塔嘅桌面快速充電器。透明觀察窗展示咗內部組件,同大多數現代電子產品嘅封閉形態形成鮮明對比。磁吸門同穩固嘅桌面造型引發用家嘅把玩興趣同好奇心。氮化鎵電源架構配合自適應充電協議,可提供高達100瓦嘅輸出功率,並且可以同時為多部裝置充電。外殼採用注塑成型嘅阻燃PC ABS物料製造。設計嘅初衷係重建人與科技之間嘅情感連繫。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 銅獎

Panini101 充電器是 A' Design Award 銅獎得主,這是授予以創造力、獨創性和敏銳見長的傑出設計的極具聲望的認可。銅獎得主是技藝嫻熟、創意驚人的作品,印證了其設計師豐富的經驗、想像力與機智。預計Panini101 充電器將成為一件備受推崇、令人欽佩且被珍愛的物品,兼具顯著的專業性與創新性。這件贏得 A' Design Award 銅獎的設計融入藝術、科學、設計和技術領域的最佳實踐,並因注重細節而出類拔萃。Panini101 充電器出色地滿足需求,觸動渴望,迷住情感,並吸引好奇心。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties
The project transforms a desktop fast charger into a culturally meaningful desk object by referencing the form of early computer towers. A transparent viewing window reveals internal components, challenging the black-box nature of modern electronics. Details such as a magnetic door, stable desktop form, and visible structure create a product that is designed not only for function, but also for interaction, curiosity, and emotional attachment.
Dimensions & Packaging
Dimensions: Width 85 mm x Depth 60 mm x Height 55 mm.
Weight: approximately 240 g.
Output power up to 100 W GaN fast charging.
Supports USB C Power Delivery with adaptive charging protocols.
Enclosure made of injection molded PC ABS V0 flame retardant material.
Complies with FCC, UL, and CCC safety standards.
Tags
power adaptor, charger, consumer electronics, retro design, emotional design, collectible, industrial design
Production Technology
Panini101 integrates Gallium Nitride power architecture and adaptive charging protocols into a compact desktop charger capable of charging multiple devices simultaneously. The adaptive protocol system allows compatibility with evolving devices and charging standards, extending product lifespan and reducing replacement frequency. This approach supports sustainability through durability, long term usability, and emotional attachment rather than disposable electronics.
Design Challenge
The main challenge was translating the visual language of early personal computer towers into a compact high-performance charger while meeting thermal and safety requirements. The initial fully transparent enclosure conflicted with heat dissipation needs. The final design introduced a partial viewing window, balancing engineering constraints, visual expression, and design intent.
Research
The project explores how industrial design can reduce the psychological distance created by black-box technology. By combining cultural symbols, physical transparency, and everyday functionality, the design investigates whether making technology visually understandable and culturally familiar can increase user trust and emotional connection. The project proposes a design approach where consumer electronics function as cultural artifacts rather than invisible utilities.
Inspiration
Modern technology is becoming smaller, faster, and more invisible, but this invisibility also creates psychological distance between people and the technology they depend on. Early personal computers were visible and understandable machines that people could see and interact with. This project was inspired by the idea that cultural memory and physical transparency could be used as design tools to rebuild trust and emotional connection between humans and technology.
Project Duration
The project started in early 2023 in Dallas, United States, and was completed in October 2024 with mass production. The project included industrial design, engineering development, prototyping, and manufacturing preparation. The product was later presented at international technology and cultural events including CES and ComplexCon.
Operation Flow
Panini101 is designed as a stable desktop charging object rather than a hidden adapter. Users connect devices via the charging port, while the system automatically adapts power delivery through protocol negotiation. The compact form keeps cables organized and enables one-handed interaction, reinforcing usability. Its physical presence transforms charging from a passive task into a visible and tactile routine, integrating the object into the workspace environment.
Patents
Patent Pending. Design Patent Application. PaniniClub LLC. 2025. United States.
Copyrights belong to PaniniClub LLC, 2024.
Trademark (2025) PaniniClub.
Trademark (2025) Panini101.
Image Credits
Image #1: Photographer Justin Doherty (Photographer) Justin Doherty, Panini101 Product Photography, 2026.
Image #2: Creator Hengbo Zhang (Industrial Designer) Hengbo Zhang, Panini101 Product Visualization, 2026.
Image #3: Creator Yanhui Ban (Industrial Designer) Yanhui Ban, Panini101 Product Visualization, 2025.
Image #4: Creator Hengbo Zhang (Industrial Designer) Hengbo Zhang, Panini101 Product Visualization, 2025.
Image #5: Creator Yanhui Ban (Industrial Designer) Yanhui Ban, Panini101 Product Visualization, 2024.

Video Credits: Hengbo Zhang and Yanhui Ban, Panini101 Product Video, 2026.

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