Interesting Packaging Ideas – The iF Design Awards

It always is fascinating to see the results of packaging and design students. Their ideas are fresh, sometimes impossible to imagine in the real world, but always stimulating and setting the “old” professionals to think twice.
The world’s largest collection of student designs is, undoubtedly, with the German iF Design organization. The iF concept design award, aims at discovering young professionals, and is open to students and recent graduates of design-related departments. This year 10,665 entries were submitted from over 50 countries, according to iF Design.

The competing works come in four categories – product design, communication design, fashion design and architecture. They come from all over the world, but Asian universities and design schools are well, very well represented. Besides Korean and Chinese students, Taiwan is a very important supplier of packaging ideas.

This year, Taipei’s National Taiwan University of Science and Technology led the country’s 14 participating universities, with five works selected for the “Best 100” list. Since 2007, NTUST students have bagged 33 awards at the annual competition, giving it top-ranking status ahead of more than 100 universities worldwide, iF said.

Of course we only take a look at the ideas in packaging. If your interest is wider go to the website of iF Design.
I selected 6 packaging design ideas. I don’t add a word and let the students explain their innovation themselves.

A magnifier lid / Medicine bottle cap
Designed by Zhao Xiaoguang and Song Diying of the Hohai University in Changzhou, China
The medicine bottle lid is transformed in a magnifying glass, which makes reading the particular instructions easier. Mainly because it is an integrated part of the bottle, it is easy to use and also convenient to carry.

Many people in their senior years have to take any number of medicines to maintain their health or cure diseases. Most of them, however, share the common problem that their vision and their memories are declining. As a result, it is often difficult for them to distinguish between different medicines and to remember the frequency and the dosage. In order to deal with this problem, an ordinary medicine bottle lid has been turned into a magnifier lid, making it easier to read the instructions and other information on the bottle. It is also very convenient to carry and to use.

Medicine Bottle with Magnifier turns the lid of an ordinary medicine bottle into a magnifying glass, which can assist the elderly with reading the instructions on the bottle.

Anyway Spray / Spray bottle
Designed by Fan Wu of the Hubei University of Technology in Wuhan, China
It is often difficult to get the last few drops out of a spray bottle. This bottle uses the force of gravity to ensure that the suction mouth is always kept below the level of the liquid contents.

Container / Kitchen tool  
Designed by Cornelius Comanns of the Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften, Fachhochschule München in Germany

When adding salt or spices to your foods, it is very practical to use your fingertips because this gives you perfect control over how much is added and where. This newly designed container incorporates this “fingertip” feeling. It fits snugly into your hand while you gradually open or close your fingers to release the contents as desired.

The silicone skin where your fingertips are placed is very thin to provide haptic feedback on how much of the contents have been released. This container allows the user to spread salt, spices, etc. in a very intuitive way, is more hygienic and can be used with only one hand.

Blister Container / Convenience Food Packaging
Designed by Hyewon Kim, Jieun You (Kookmin University), Younsung Lee (Kunkuk University), Gyujung Lee (Sungshin Women’s University) all in Seoul, South Korea

Ramen noodle dishes often include separate spices and seasonings, which can be added as desired. These small packages can be difficult and inconvenient to tear open and sometimes the top of the container is damaged as well when it is opened to remove the seasoning. This new blister Ramen container solves the problem. You simply press down on the blister and the seasoning is dispensed into the container.

Pill Jar for PD / Pill Dispenser
Designed by Ming-Chieh Yeh of the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology in Danshui Township, Taiwan

Many patients suffering from such illnesses as Parkinson’s disease (PD) have great trouble in controlling their shaking extremities, which can make actions that are normally easy very difficult. This includes getting the medication they need out of the bottle. Pill Jar helps the sufferers of PD (or the elderly) to get the pills out of the bottle easily, even when their hands are shaking.

They get one pill out at a time, simply by pressing and releasing the top. In addition, the main part is reusable and, thanks to its silicone ring, it can be adapted to fit on differently sized pill jars. Using the Pill Jar requires no detailed instructions.

Angle Eyes / Cap of Medical Bottle
Designed by Kun Li of the Hunan University in Changhsha, China
“Angle eyes” is a bottle designed specifically for the elderly or the visually impaired. Simply remove the bottle cap and then use it to magnify the information on the bottle. This can effectively prevent serious mistakes in taking medication.

That was the packaging part of the iF concept design award.

On the same day as the Awards Ceremony on 31 May 2012, the exhibition of all 10,665 qualifying entries was also opened. The works will be on display on paper in the Kunsthaus Hamburg, Klosterwall 15, 20095 Hamburg until 17 June 2012.

Furthermore on 20 May, 2012 iF opened its first permanent exhibition on Hainan Island/China. The long-term exhibition at the Haikou Creative Design Park will run for at least three years and will focus on new design themes every six months.