The Golden Pin Design Award and Golden Pin Concept Design Award today (September 25) announced the finalists for the prestigious Best Design of the Year. Following the Final Selection, 90 entries were shortlisted from among 429 Design Mark recipients for the Golden Pin Design Award, while 6 creative proposals emerged as finalists for the Golden Pin Concept Design Award. The highly anticipated winners will be revealed at the Award Ceremony on December 5 in Taipei.

　

　

2025 Golden Pin Design Award

This year’s Best Design Award finalists span 11 regions, including Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, Poland, the Philippines, Australia, the United States, and Germany. From responding to local culture and exploring emerging technologies to creating new user experiences and reimagining public spaces, the finalists showcase the creativity and influence of contemporary design.

　

▌ Highlights of the Best Design Finalists

1. ROG Phone 9 Pro

- Category: Product Design
- Country / region: Taiwan
- Applicant: ASUSTek COMPUTER Inc.
- Design Company: ASUS Design Center

This flagship gaming smartphone features the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, a five-section thermal system, and AirTrigger shoulder controls to deliver stable performance during extended play. Its 185Hz AMOLED display and customizable AniMe Vision Mini LED panel enhance visuals and personalization, while AI-driven functions extend its usability beyond gaming. With a tactile matte finish and the use of recycled aluminum and glass, the design balances performance, comfort, and sustainability.

　

2. PuréWiser™

- Category: Product Design
- Country / region: Taiwan
- Applicant / Design Company: Vogito Innovation 

This sterilization lamp adapts household cabinets into hygienic storage spaces with a telescopic rod and magnetic mount that allow quick, tool-free installation. Using dual-wavelength UV-C sterilization and infrared safety sensors, the device ensures safe operation only within closed environments. An integrated essential-oil diffuser with insect-repelling properties further enhances cabinet hygiene and everyday usability.

　

3. ARIA

- Category: Product Design
- Country / region: U.S.A.
- Applicant: TROXUS
- Design Company: Jonny Mole (Italy)

TROXUS’s “ARIA” road bike is engineered with a one-piece monocoque carbon fiber frame, distinguished by a central rib that links the top tube and seat stays to enhance stiffness, absorb vibration, and improve power transfer. Its aerodynamic design integrates handlebar and fork into a seamless unit with hidden cables, while color-shifting paint with matte and gloss black details adds visibility and a bold visual identity. Built with aggressive racing geometry, ARIA combines structural innovation and performance-focused design to meet the demands of competitive cycling.

　

4. Mijia Smart Dumbbell

- Category: Product Design
- Country / region: China
- Applicant / Design Company: Zhuhai Yunmai Technology Co., Ltd.
- Client: Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.

The Mijia Smart Dumbbell addresses the growing demand for home fitness with a compact, intelligent design. It features a patented rotary mechanism that allows users to switch between 1kg and 2kg weights with a simple twist, while a non-circular grip enhances stability and safety. A built-in six-axis motion sensor enables accurate exercise tracking and syncs with a companion app for progress monitoring and training guidance. The design combines adaptability, precision, and everyday convenience for at-home workouts.

　

5. Visual Identity for the Taichung Green Museumbrary (Taichung Public Library + Taichung Art Museum) 

- Category: Communication Design
- Country / region: Taiwan
- Applicant / Design Company: Aaron Nieh Workshop
- Client: Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa / SANAA (Japan)

The visual identity of the Taichung Green Museumbrary, a new cultural landmark that merges the Taichung Public Library and Taichung Art Museum designed by SANAA, translates the spirit of the architecture into a bold yet minimal symbol. Using abstract geometric forms, the design evokes imagery of books, drawings, and spatial movement, reflecting the institution’s interdisciplinary fusion of art and literature and its vision of boundless creativity.

　

6. Lhâze

- Category: Communication Design
- Country / region: China
- Applicant / Design Company: So Creative Studio
- Client: Lhâze

The visual identity and packaging for Lhâze, a Tibetan incense brand, draw inspiration from the name’s meaning—“the golden peak where light first shines.” The logo integrates a golden mountain tip into the letter “A,” while the flexible letter arrangement and triangular packaging echo mountain forms. Each fragrance is distinguished by colors derived from Tibetan prayer flags, unified by a gold peak accent, creating a cohesive system that blends cultural symbolism with a clear and memorable brand presence.

　

7. Osaka EXPO 2025 TECH WORLD Pavilion

- Category: Spatial Design
- Country / region: Taiwan
- Applicant / Design Company: MAYU architects
- Client: Taiwan External Trade Development Council

The TECH WORLD Pavilion, created for the 2025 Osaka World Expo, draws on Taiwan’s mountainous landscape with the concept of the “Heart of the Mountain.” Its abstract form combines layered matte metal panels with a serpentine stone sculpture from Hualien, symbolizing the balance of technology and nature. Inside, a sequence of spaces evokes a hiking journey—ascending from a cave-like entry to a peak-inspired hall before descending to the “Theater of the Future”—using light, material, and immersive technology to envision a sustainable, interconnected future.

　

8. Kilyawan Farm Resort

- Category: Spatial Design
- Country / region: Philippines
- Applicant / Design Company: Dominic Galicia Architects
- Client: Kilyawan Farm Resort

Kilyawan Farm Resort transforms a former poultry farm into an eco-conscious retreat rooted in reuse, daylight, and sustainability. Preserving the site’s original grid, two chicken coops were adapted into a reception building and guest cabins using recycled and locally sourced materials. Courtyards, woven bamboo, eco-bricks, and translucent panels bring in light, air, and shifting shadows, creating soft transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces. The design honors the site’s agricultural past while shaping a serene destination that integrates architecture, landscape, and local craft.

　

9. "No Time to Waste" Office

- Category: Spatial Design
- Country / region: Thailand
- Applicant / Design Company: AUN Design Studio
- Client: CHUNG HUAT STEEL (1992)

This project is a 100-square-metre workspace that demonstrates circular design by reusing scrap metal sheets—typically up to 15% of material lost during the factory’s fabrication process—as both architectural and interior elements. Perforated sunshade fins double as trellises for climbing plants, creating shifting phases of shadow, greenery, and seasonal blooms, while custom furniture is crafted from the same reclaimed material. The project highlights how industrial byproducts can be transformed into functional and visually expressive design, reducing waste while underscoring the potential of sustainable architecture.

　

10. MUSEUM OF NEXT 

- Category: Integration Design
- Country / region: Taiwan
- Applicant / Design Company: googoods Co., Ltd.
- Client: CMP INSPIRATION

This project reimagines iconic artworks and everyday objects as interactive urban furniture. Classical sculptures such as The Thinker and The Kiss are transformed into seating, while umbrella stands, trash bins, and even fire extinguishers echo famous masterpieces with humor and wit. By blending art with daily life, the project invites the public to engage directly with design, turning ordinary actions into creative encounters.

　

11. Formosensis

- Category: Integration Design
- Country / region: Taiwan
- Applicant / Design Company: Lion Travel
- Client: Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office

The “Formosensis” train marks a new chapter for Taiwan’s Alishan Forest Railway following its 15-year reconstruction. A forest-inspired brand identity ties the experience together—from livery and signage to service touchpoints—while dome-style carriages crafted with native Taiwanese red cypress and hinoki frame the passing landscape. The service pairs local food and cultural activities with low-carbon practices (rail-first travel, refill over single-use bottles), offering an elegant, in-depth journey that connects visitors with Alishan’s nature and heritage.

　

12. ESSENTIAL

- Category: Integration Design
- Country / region: Taiwan
- Applicant / Design Company: EMBERS

EMBERS restaurant’s 2025 theme “ESSENTIAL” turns dining into a poetic journey from shore to deep sea. Integrating cuisine, art, and installations, it explores the ocean’s forms and flavors through elements like wave-worn coastal objects, marine-inspired chocolates and teas, and fish otoliths as natural “clocks.” By reimagining even overlooked bycatch, the project highlights both ecological value and cultural connection to Taiwan’s maritime heritage.

　

▌GPDA 2025 Final Selection Jury’s Comments

Uwe Cremering, CEO of iF International Forum Design GmbH and a member of the final selection jury, noted that participating in the Golden Pin Design Award in Taiwan was both inspiring and rewarding. He highlighted the diversity and depth of the entries and the valuable exchange among the international jury. He added that many shortlisted works stood out not only for their aesthetics and innovation but also for their social and environmental relevance, making the selection of the Best Design Award winners a highly challenging task.

Japanese design master Akira Minagawa stated that in evaluating the works, he focused particularly on function and form, considering whether the designs hold lasting value. He also emphasized the importance of addressing diverse needs, ensuring inclusivity, and creating broad social resonance as key criteria.

Liang Yi-Chia, Executive Vice President of MUJI Taiwan, observed that this year’s entries demonstrated a stronger focus on storage and multifunctional adaptability to suit increasingly compact living spaces. He also pointed out that ESG considerations have become more prominent in design, from material selection to reducing environmental impact after use.

Renowned Chinese designer Tiger Pan, who served as jury president for packaging design at D&AD last year, remarked that design should go beyond formal or stylistic innovation to ultimately serve people and daily life. He expressed his delight in seeing many shortlisted works this year closely connected to everyday contexts, actively bringing positive changes to society.

 　

2025 Golden Pin Concept Design Award

　

The Golden Pin Concept Design Award encourages bold and forward-looking proposals, exploring the possibilities of future design from ideas not yet realized. Over the years, it has become a launchpad for emerging designers and startups to test concepts and move toward the market. This year, 27 projects received the Design Mark, with 11 advancing to the final selection to present their ideas to the jury, competing for just three Best Design Awards and a prize of NT$300,000 each.

The six finalists selected in this year’s Final Selection each demonstrate distinctive ideas, showcasing the creativity and potential of emerging designers and start-up teams.

　

　

　

▌ Highlights of the Best Concept Finalists

1. OUTDOOR BOTANICAL ART GALLERY

- Category: Communication Design
- Country / Region: Taiwan
- Designer(s): Yen-Ling Chen, Sin-Ru Ke, Mu-Chen Han, Chia-Wei Chen, Fang-Xuan Wu

This project proposes a borderless museum concept that integrates art, nature, and design within the travel experience. By documenting plants in ways that avoid environmental disruption, the project envisions turning creative expression into part of the journey, encouraging visitors to discover new connections between nature and aesthetics while opening up alternative possibilities for deep, participatory tourism.

　

2. Neural Palate Kueh

- Category: Integration Design
- Country / Region: Singapore
- Designer(s): Immanuel Koh

Neural Palate Kueh is an experimental proposal that reimagines traditional Singaporean dessert “kuehs” through 3D printing, using the forms of iconic local architecture as inspiration. By merging food heritage with urban imagery and artificial intelligence, the project explores a new design language that blurs the boundary between cuisine and the built environment, offering a playful reflection on culture and city life.

　

3. Kyola Distraction Retractor

- Category: Product Design
- Country / Region: Taiwan
- Designer(s): Liang-Cheng Chen, Shao-Yu Wang, Yao-Jhen Yang, Tzu-Han Huang

This project is a surgical tool developed from clinical experience in dentistry. Featuring a streamlined, pen-like form, it aims to improve surgical visibility and provide stable traction, reducing the risks of pain and nerve injury often associated with impacted wisdom tooth procedures. The design highlights the potential of combining medical expertise with design thinking to explore new possibilities in dental surgery tools.

　

▌ GPCDA 2025 Final Selection Jury’s Comments

Jeffrey C. Lin, Principal Architect of Llin Architects and a member of the final jury, noted that the Concept Design Award places particular emphasis on creativity and forward-thinking ideas. Projects that also demonstrate social responsibility and aesthetic value are viewed favorably, while those showing feasibility and potential impact stand out even more. 

Kuo Chung Yuan, Creative Director of Midroom LAB, and Alain Lee, Founder of Atelier AGI, added that during presentations, the ability to clearly convey a project’s essence and core values—while sparking the imagination—is a crucial factor in the jury’s evaluation.

 　

Winners to Be Revealed at December Award Ceremony!

The 2025 Golden Pin Design Award and Golden Pin Concept Design Award have completed their three-stage selection process. The winners of the prestigious Best Design Award will be officially announced at the award ceremony on Friday, December 5 at the Taipei Performing Arts Center. 

Further details about the event will be released in the coming weeks. Stay tuned to the official website and social media platforms—Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter—for the latest updates.

　

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Follow this link for the full list of the 2025 Best Design Award Finalists: https://www.goldenpin.org.tw/en/download/