“Wired Remote Controller” for Europe
■Outline
This remote controller for the European commercial market features a full-color, touch screen. Designed for installation in commercial air environments, including hotels and offices, the product targets users from a wide range of nationalities, cultures, and operational experience. Not only does it have a linear, minimalist exterior design, but the UI is one that anyone can intuitively operate.
■Thoughts from the Designer
I feel extremely honored to receive the Good Design Award for this year in recognition of the minimalist appearance of our hardware-integrated UI. Being mindful of the simple installation environment of the European market, we pursued an easy-to-understand design with horizontal and vertical simplicity to serve as a touchpoint for a variety of users. Encouraged by this year's award, I hope to further develop the worldview of the brand.
■GOOD DESIGN Jury Conclusions
Designed for intuitive operability, this full-color touch remote controller features a configuration that optimally uses physical buttons and a touch panel depending on the application. In addition to an interface that displays mode by color, an independent operation bar at the bottom of the screen ensures visibility and ease of use whether in operation or standby mode. The sleek, linear design blends naturally into European hotel and office spaces, conveying a sophisticated presence in a compact size.
Designer Hiroyasu Kosuge
“Ice Cool Spot” Rest Area for Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan
■Outline
As a summer heat relief measure for outdoor public spaces, this rest area features an air conditioning system utilizing the natural energy of sunlight and the radiant cooling of ice. Its open structure connects the wooden building to the outdoors and gives visitors a comfortable air environment to relax.
■Thoughts from the Designer
People are often warned to avoid the summer heat by not going outside, and
Daikin Industries has always worked to provide comfortable, air-conditioned indoor environments. This time, we took on a unique [air conditioning + building] challenge from a desire to give people an air environment where they could both experience the outdoors and stay healthy, even in summer.
I was very happy for us to receive an award for this project, and I hope that we can continue to create even better air conditioning experiences in the future.
■GOOD DESIGN Jury Conclusions
The air conditioning of this outdoor rest area offers radiant cooling that combines ice thermal storage and solar power generation. Rather than cooling the entire space, ice panels utilize the ice produced at night to directly cool people during the day through radiant cooling, spawning an environment for next-generation air conditioning. Not relying on airtightness, the floor was designed to be lower than ground level and incorporates various measures in storing cool air in an open structure connected to the outdoors. Fully utilizing technologies cultivated by the long-established air conditioning manufacturer, the structure uses the wood lattice installed to the exterior and interior walls for ventilation and lighting to achieve a design that receives high praise for both functionality and beauty.
Designer Yumi Ohta
“AIR CREATOR” Retail Brand for Residential AC in Southeast Asia
■Outline
Air Creator is a new residential air conditioning solution designed for the younger generation in Southeast Asia that seamlessly connects the air purifier and air conditioner via an app. Its unique air conditioning control offers users ideal living spaces to match their individual lifestyles.
■Thoughts from the Designers
Expectations of today’s ASEAN younger generation go beyond mere utility: they extend to experiences that resonate with their values, aspirations, and desire for self-expression. Recognizing this fundamental shift, the Daikin Air Creator series is designed to redefine conventional air products by moving beyond a purely functional focus to an experience-driven design approach.
■GOOD DESIGN Jury Conclusions
Connecting and controlling the air conditioner and air purifier with the same app enables users to effectively manage air quality in the room, and the integration of these complex functions into a user-friendly app is just one of the many outstanding features of this design. Moreover, despite commonly sharing a soft minimalist design, the air conditioner and air purifier each have their own distinct personalities. The wall-mounted air conditioning unit has a thin, expansive design suggestive of fresh air, whereas the air purifier has a square, floor-standing shape that adeptly expresses its air purification function. For these reasons, the design is worthy of high praise.
Designers Ong Seow Yan, Alya Natasha Binti Nor Azman
Residential Central Air Conditioning Panel
■Outline
The Residential Central Air Conditioning Panel is a customizable air outlet system for different room sizes. The modular design allows customized combinations of functional air outlets and decorative panels for unobtrusive integration into the room.
■Thoughts from the Designers
Residential central air conditioning panels typically come in predetermined sizes, which can present a challenge in harmonizing with the interior décor.
This product answers that underlying need in the form of a module capable of blending in with a variety of installation environments. To minimize their presence and blend into space, panels incorporate a black-and-white, two-tone color scheme to obscure the boundaries between decorative panel and air outlet. They also feature Daikin's unique 3D airflow, a function that fully meets user airflow needs.
Designing, developing, and bringing this customer-driven product to market was a very enjoyable experience for us.
■Red Dot Jury Conclusions
The Residential Central Air Conditioning Panel impresses with its discreet appearance and its flexible modular design for different room sizes.
Designers Bin Zhou, Xiuqiang Zhang
