Bronze A' Design Award Winner 2025
Chunyang Wang's Feel Ordinary Life Aromatic Candles participates within contemporary wellness design discourse that emerged prominently across the second and third decades of the twenty-first century, reflecting broader cultural movements toward mindfulness practices, therapeutic self-care rituals, and the elevation of quotidian domestic experiences into intentional ceremonial moments, this design achievement demonstrates sophisticated understanding of product semiotics where familiar culinary ingredients traditionally associated with nourishment and flavor become sculptural vessels for aromatherapeutic experience, the compositional presentation evidences accomplished formal restraint characteristic of minimalist design philosophies while simultaneously communicating accessible approachability through immediately recognizable botanical forms, the chromatic sophistication appears particularly noteworthy in the selection of a distinctive periwinkle blue serving as brand signature color, this specific hue occupying the transitional territory between pure blue and violet suggests both calming therapeutic associations traditionally connected to blue wavelengths in color psychology research and the slightly unconventional sophisticated violet undertones that distinguish the brand identity from more predictable wellness category competitors employing expected spa greens or clinical whites, the material palette demonstrates thoughtful integration where matte black wax sculptures achieve technical precision in capturing botanical morphologies including the papery layered structure of garlic cloves, the irregular knobby surface topology of ginger rhizomes, and the bundled linear forms of green onion stalks, this sculptural fidelity elevates the candles beyond mere functional lighting objects into collectible design pieces worthy of display even when unlit, the packaging architecture employs geometric clarity and typographic hierarchy that communicates therapeutic categorization with directness, the three indicated applications addressing PAIN, ANXIETY, and SLEEP represent universal human challenges while the descriptive language promises tangible relief through phrases like ease your pain and soothe your stress, quiet your mind calm the storm, and sleep tight and wake up, this direct therapeutic positioning distinguishes the product from more abstract wellness offerings by naming specific conditions and promising specific outcomes, the concrete cubic elements punctuated with circular apertures suggesting pharmaceutical blister packaging introduce intriguing visual tension between medical precision and artisanal craft, between clinical efficacy suggestion and handmade authenticity, this duality reflects broader contemporary negotiations between scientific validation desires and natural holistic preferences within wellness consumer psychology, the overall composition suggests careful art direction understanding how products photograph for both e-commerce functionality and editorial aspiration, the arrangement would serve equally well as straightforward product documentation or lifestyle magazine feature celebrating design innovation, the work invites consideration of how contemporary design practice increasingly blurs boundaries between commercial product development, artistic craft practice, and therapeutic intervention, how objects intended for consumption and eventual exhaustion through burning can simultaneously function as sculptural presences commanding aesthetic attention, and how familiar ingredients from everyday cooking can be ritually transformed into vehicles for emotional regulation and sensory sanctuary, one might contemplate the broader cultural significance of transforming garlic, ginger, and green onion, ingredients fundamental to numerous culinary traditions and associated with nourishment, immunity support, and vitality, into aromatic candles that promise not bodily nourishment but emotional and psychological comfort, this metamorphosis suggests evolving relationships between the sensory experiences of cooking and burning, between kitchen as site of meal preparation and domestic space as site of therapeutic ritual, between ingredients as fuel for physical sustenance and scent as fuel for emotional wellbeing, the design ultimately proposes that ordinary life, as the brand name suggests, contains within its most humble elements the materials for extraordinary sensory and emotional experiences when approached with intention, craft, and design sophistication.
Inspired by the ubiquitous ingredients of Chinese cuisine, ginger, garlic, and scallions, this scented candle reimagines these familiar forms into a unique and artistic olfactory experience. By blending traditional Chinese culture with contemporary design, we have created a product that offers a feast for both the eyes and the nose. For example, the ginger shaped candle features a blend of floral and fruity notes, while the scallion shaped candle offers a woody and floral combination. This unexpected pairing of scents and forms creates a truly unforgettable sensory experience.