Bronze Digital and Electronic Device Design · 2026
Panini101 Charger
by Wenxi Qi
- A' Design Award 2026 Bronze Winner in Digital and Electronic Device Design
- Awarded April 15, 2026
- CLIENT: PaniniClub
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 15,806
- Verification code 6015813694 · Verify this award
About Panini101 Charger
Panini101 is a desktop fast charger shaped like a miniature early computer tower. A transparent viewing window reveals the internal components, in contrast to the closed form of most modern electronics. A magnetic door and a stable desktop form invite handling and curiosity. Gallium nitride power architecture and adaptive charging protocols allow output up to 100 W and the charging of several devices at once. The enclosure is made of injection molded flame retardant PC ABS. The intent is to rebuild emotional connection between people and technology.
Wenxi Qi's Panini101 Charger emerges from contemporary industrial design traditions that celebrate material transparency as both functional communication and aesthetic statement, positioning the work within a broader cultural movement toward demystifying technological infrastructure through visible component legibility and approachable form language. The design demonstrates sophisticated understanding of product semantics, wherein translucent thermoplastic housings in carefully selected hues communicate user-interface logic through intuitive color differentiation while simultaneously revealing the elegant simplicity of internal conductor arrangements and circuit pathways, the horizontal metallic strips and coral-orange activation buttons create clear visual hierarchies that guide user interaction without requiring extensive instruction or prior technical knowledge. The compositional achievement lies in balancing serial repetition with chromatic individuality, each module maintaining formal consistency while the palette spanning cool aquamarine, warm citrine, neutral pearl, and soft gray allows users to select based on personal aesthetic preference or functional organization systems, a design strategy acknowledging that contemporary consumers value both utility and visual delight in everyday objects. The technical execution demonstrates accomplished injection-molding precision, evidenced in the clean edge definition, uniform wall thickness, and flawless surface finish across curved and planar transitions, while the material selection balances durability requirements with the optical clarity necessary for component visibility and the tactile satisfaction of satin-textured polymer. The inclusion of small translucent bear-shaped charms introduces an element of playful accessibility that expands the design's emotional register beyond pure functionalism, suggesting that technological objects can simultaneously serve pragmatic needs and provide moments of aesthetic pleasure or personal expression, a design philosophy increasingly prevalent in consumer electronics that reject the austere minimalism of earlier technological aesthetics in favor of more emotionally resonant and personality-expressing form languages. The color palette itself carries carefully calibrated psychological associations: the aquamarine suggesting freshness, clarity, and contemporary sensibility; the citrine evoking warmth, optimism, and energy appropriate for a charging device; the pearl white communicating clean functionality and universal compatibility; while the coral-orange activation elements provide both chromatic vitality and intuitive interface signaling. The work invites consideration of how industrial design has evolved from purely engineering-driven problem-solving toward a more holistic practice integrating material innovation, user experience design, visual communication, emotional engagement, and aesthetic sophistication, transforming mundane functional objects into considered design statements that enhance daily rituals of technological interaction. How might transparent materiality in everyday objects reshape our relationship with the technological systems that increasingly mediate contemporary life, making visible what is typically hidden and transforming utilitarian necessity into opportunities for aesthetic contemplation?
Press Kit
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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. - Patents
- Patent Pending. Design Patent Application. PaniniClub LLC. 2025. United States.
Copyrights belong to PaniniClub LLC, 2024.
Trademark (2025) PaniniClub.
Trademark (2025) Panini101.
Colors of Panini101 Charger
Design Interview about Panini101 Charger
The core idea behind Panini101 is to challenge the growing “black-box” nature of modern technology. As devices become more powerful, they also become more opaque—users interact with them daily, yet understand them less and trust them less.
Panini101 reimagines a common everyday object—a desktop charger—as a transparent and culturally resonant artifact. The inspiration comes from 1990s computer towers, an era when technology felt more tangible, understandable, and emotionally engaging. By exposing internal components through a viewing window and referencing nostalgic design language, the product aims to rebuild a sense of trust, curiosity, and emotional connection between people and technology.
Panini101 reimagines a common everyday object—a desktop charger—as a transparent and culturally resonant artifact. The inspiration comes from 1990s computer towers, an era when technology felt more tangible, understandable, and emotionally engaging. By exposing internal components through a viewing window and referencing nostalgic design language, the product aims to rebuild a sense of trust, curiosity, and emotional connection between people and technology.
My main focus was to go beyond pure functionality and explore how consumer electronics can carry emotional and cultural meaning.
Technically, the goal was to deliver a reliable 100W GaN fast-charging experience across multiple devices. But more importantly, I wanted to transform a charger—typically an invisible, purely utilitarian object—into something that users would notice, appreciate, and even display.
The ultimate goal was to create a product that not only powers devices but also reshapes how people perceive and emotionally relate to everyday technology.
Technically, the goal was to deliver a reliable 100W GaN fast-charging experience across multiple devices. But more importantly, I wanted to transform a charger—typically an invisible, purely utilitarian object—into something that users would notice, appreciate, and even display.
The ultimate goal was to create a product that not only powers devices but also reshapes how people perceive and emotionally relate to everyday technology.
Panini101 has already moved into mass production, and we recently introduced a limited edition featuring colored transparent CMF variations to further explore its collectible and cultural appeal.
In the United States, the product is currently sold through a direct-to-consumer (D2C) online model. This allows us to maintain a close relationship with our users and better communicate the design story behind the product.
On the retail side, we have established a partnership with DrivePro, a premium consumer electronics retail chain with over 20 stores across China, where Panini101 will be introduced into offline channels.
Looking ahead, we plan to expand into globally recognized design and cultural retail platforms such as MoMA Design Store, as well as curated lifestyle and street culture retailers like KITH.
Our broader goal is to take Panini101 from a design-driven product into a globally distributed cultural object, bridging consumer electronics with design, fashion, and contemporary culture.
In the United States, the product is currently sold through a direct-to-consumer (D2C) online model. This allows us to maintain a close relationship with our users and better communicate the design story behind the product.
On the retail side, we have established a partnership with DrivePro, a premium consumer electronics retail chain with over 20 stores across China, where Panini101 will be introduced into offline channels.
Looking ahead, we plan to expand into globally recognized design and cultural retail platforms such as MoMA Design Store, as well as curated lifestyle and street culture retailers like KITH.
Our broader goal is to take Panini101 from a design-driven product into a globally distributed cultural object, bridging consumer electronics with design, fashion, and contemporary culture.
The initial idea came together very quickly. From concept to the first visualized design, it took only about two weeks.
However, turning that idea into a real product was a much longer process. We conducted extensive user research, manufacturing feasibility studies, and charging technology validation, which led to multiple iterations and significant refinements of the original design.
By the end of 2023, we developed three engineering prototypes. In April 2024, we launched an independent crowdfunding campaign under our brand, and by October 2024, we completed the first batch of mass production.
The colored limited edition was developed later and entered R&D in fall 2025. An engineering prototype of this version was first presented at ComplexCon in 2025.
Because this is not just a design concept but a product built from the ground up, the journey spans multiple years. It reflects the full process from idea to engineering, manufacturing, and market validation.
However, turning that idea into a real product was a much longer process. We conducted extensive user research, manufacturing feasibility studies, and charging technology validation, which led to multiple iterations and significant refinements of the original design.
By the end of 2023, we developed three engineering prototypes. In April 2024, we launched an independent crowdfunding campaign under our brand, and by October 2024, we completed the first batch of mass production.
The colored limited edition was developed later and entered R&D in fall 2025. An engineering prototype of this version was first presented at ComplexCon in 2025.
Because this is not just a design concept but a product built from the ground up, the journey spans multiple years. It reflects the full process from idea to engineering, manufacturing, and market validation.
This was not a commissioned project. It originated from my own long-term interest in how design can rebuild human relationships with technology.
I have been exploring themes around transparency, emotional engagement, and human-centered technology systems for years. Panini101 became a natural extension of this exploration—applying those ideas to a highly standardized and overlooked product category.
I have been exploring themes around transparency, emotional engagement, and human-centered technology systems for years. Panini101 became a natural extension of this exploration—applying those ideas to a highly standardized and overlooked product category.
Panini101 is being produced and distributed under my own brand, PaniniClub. We manage the design, production, and go-to-market strategy directly, allowing us to maintain consistency between design vision and user experience.
I was drawn to this category because of how overlooked it is.
Chargers are among the most essential consumer electronics products, yet they are typically treated as invisible infrastructure. People use them every day, but rarely think about them, notice them, or form any emotional connection with them.
This disconnect made the category particularly interesting to me. It represents a broader condition in modern technology, where products become more powerful but also more distant and less meaningful to users.
Designing Panini101 was an opportunity to challenge that norm. I wanted to explore whether even the most ordinary, standardized object could be reimagined as something visible, expressive, and culturally relevant.
Chargers are among the most essential consumer electronics products, yet they are typically treated as invisible infrastructure. People use them every day, but rarely think about them, notice them, or form any emotional connection with them.
This disconnect made the category particularly interesting to me. It represents a broader condition in modern technology, where products become more powerful but also more distant and less meaningful to users.
Designing Panini101 was an opportunity to challenge that norm. I wanted to explore whether even the most ordinary, standardized object could be reimagined as something visible, expressive, and culturally relevant.
Panini101 is influenced more by a cultural and technological era than by a specific designer.
The form and visual language draw inspiration from the 1990s and early 2000s, particularly from computer towers that were once a common presence in households but gradually disappeared as technology became more compact and opaque.
Those objects carried a sense of physicality and transparency. You could often see or imagine how they worked, and they became part of people’s everyday environments and memories. Panini101 reinterprets that familiar form in a contemporary context, bringing back a sense of tangibility and emotional connection that has been largely lost in modern consumer electronics.
The form and visual language draw inspiration from the 1990s and early 2000s, particularly from computer towers that were once a common presence in households but gradually disappeared as technology became more compact and opaque.
Those objects carried a sense of physicality and transparency. You could often see or imagine how they worked, and they became part of people’s everyday environments and memories. Panini101 reinterprets that familiar form in a contemporary context, bringing back a sense of tangibility and emotional connection that has been largely lost in modern consumer electronics.
The target users are design-conscious consumers, tech enthusiasts, and culturally aware individuals who value both functionality and meaning in the products they use.
It also appeals to a younger generation that is increasingly interested in objects that reflect identity, nostalgia, and personal taste.
It also appeals to a younger generation that is increasingly interested in objects that reflect identity, nostalgia, and personal taste.
Most chargers compete purely on technical specifications—power output, size, and efficiency.
Panini101 introduces a different dimension: cultural and emotional value. By combining high-performance GaN technology with a transparent and nostalgic design language, it transforms a purely functional device into a conversation piece.
Panini101 introduces a different dimension: cultural and emotional value. By combining high-performance GaN technology with a transparent and nostalgic design language, it transforms a purely functional device into a conversation piece.
The name Panini101 comes from the story behind our brand, PaniniClub.
One morning, my co-founder Sam had his favorite breakfast, a panini, and proposed the idea of building a brand together. He described a vision where every product we create would be like a delicious panini—simple, satisfying, and capable of bringing a small moment of joy into everyday life.
That idea resonated with me immediately. We named the brand PaniniClub, and since then, we have thought of each product as an “electronic panini” we contribute to the world.
Panini101, as our first product, naturally carries the “101” designation. It represents both a starting point and an introduction—the first expression of what PaniniClub stands for.
One morning, my co-founder Sam had his favorite breakfast, a panini, and proposed the idea of building a brand together. He described a vision where every product we create would be like a delicious panini—simple, satisfying, and capable of bringing a small moment of joy into everyday life.
That idea resonated with me immediately. We named the brand PaniniClub, and since then, we have thought of each product as an “electronic panini” we contribute to the world.
Panini101, as our first product, naturally carries the “101” designation. It represents both a starting point and an introduction—the first expression of what PaniniClub stands for.
The project involved a combination of industrial design, visualization, and content production tools.
For product development, I used SolidWorks for 3D modeling and structural design, and KeyShot for rendering and visual validation. Cinema 4D was used to create animations that helped communicate the form and internal structure of the product.
For storytelling and content creation, I used Adobe After Effects for video editing and motion design. I also incorporated AI-based tools such as Nanobanana for image enhancement and Sora for video enhancement, which helped refine visual quality and accelerate the production of marketing assets.
This combination of traditional design tools and emerging AI workflows allowed us to maintain both technical precision and strong visual storytelling throughout the project.
For product development, I used SolidWorks for 3D modeling and structural design, and KeyShot for rendering and visual validation. Cinema 4D was used to create animations that helped communicate the form and internal structure of the product.
For storytelling and content creation, I used Adobe After Effects for video editing and motion design. I also incorporated AI-based tools such as Nanobanana for image enhancement and Sora for video enhancement, which helped refine visual quality and accelerate the production of marketing assets.
This combination of traditional design tools and emerging AI workflows allowed us to maintain both technical precision and strong visual storytelling throughout the project.
The most unique aspect is the integration of physical transparency with emotional storytelling.
Instead of hiding complexity, the design reveals it—turning internal circuitry into part of the visual experience. This shifts the product from a black box into something users can observe, understand, and connect with.
Instead of hiding complexity, the design reveals it—turning internal circuitry into part of the visual experience. This shifts the product from a black box into something users can observe, understand, and connect with.
This project was a close collaboration between me and my two co-founders, Sam and Hunter.
Sam is based in the city where our manufacturing partners are located and has been leading supply chain management and quality control. His role has been critical in ensuring that the design can be translated into a reliable, manufacturable product at scale.
Hunter focuses on brand building, visual identity, and the design of many of our creative assets. He also manages fulfillment operations in the United States, helping us connect the product with our customers.
Beyond our core team, we worked closely with engineers and manufacturing specialists throughout the development process. Their expertise in power electronics, production processes, and compliance was essential in bringing the product from concept to reality.
This combination of design, engineering, supply chain, and branding allowed us to build not just a product, but a complete system from idea to market.
Sam is based in the city where our manufacturing partners are located and has been leading supply chain management and quality control. His role has been critical in ensuring that the design can be translated into a reliable, manufacturable product at scale.
Hunter focuses on brand building, visual identity, and the design of many of our creative assets. He also manages fulfillment operations in the United States, helping us connect the product with our customers.
Beyond our core team, we worked closely with engineers and manufacturing specialists throughout the development process. Their expertise in power electronics, production processes, and compliance was essential in bringing the product from concept to reality.
This combination of design, engineering, supply chain, and branding allowed us to build not just a product, but a complete system from idea to market.
Technology is both the foundation and the subject of the design.
The product uses GaN fast-charging technology to deliver high efficiency and a compact form. At the same time, the design deliberately exposes parts of this technology, making it visible and understandable rather than hidden.
The product uses GaN fast-charging technology to deliver high efficiency and a compact form. At the same time, the design deliberately exposes parts of this technology, making it visible and understandable rather than hidden.
The design is informed by both qualitative and contextual research.
I looked into user behavior around everyday electronics, especially the growing sense of detachment and lack of trust toward increasingly complex devices. Observations around nostalgia, collectibility, and emotional attachment to objects also played an important role.
I looked into user behavior around everyday electronics, especially the growing sense of detachment and lack of trust toward increasingly complex devices. Observations around nostalgia, collectibility, and emotional attachment to objects also played an important role.
One of the main challenges was balancing aesthetics with engineering constraints.
A transparent structure introduces challenges in heat dissipation, safety certification, and internal layout. Ensuring that the product meets strict safety standards while maintaining the intended visual experience required multiple iterations and close coordination with engineers.
A transparent structure introduces challenges in heat dissipation, safety certification, and internal layout. Ensuring that the product meets strict safety standards while maintaining the intended visual experience required multiple iterations and close coordination with engineers.
Submitting to an international design competition was a way to validate the broader relevance of the idea.
Panini101 is not only a product, but also a statement about how we can rethink everyday technology. Competitions provide a platform to communicate that perspective to a global audience.
Panini101 is not only a product, but also a statement about how we can rethink everyday technology. Competitions provide a platform to communicate that perspective to a global audience.
This project strengthened my ability to integrate design thinking with engineering realities.
It reinforced the importance of designing not just for function, but for meaning—while still delivering a viable, manufacturable product.
It reinforced the importance of designing not just for function, but for meaning—while still delivering a viable, manufacturable product.
Panini101 is not just a product. It is a statement about what consumer electronics could become.
In today’s industry, most brands optimize for performance, efficiency, and distribution. That is why events like CES are often centered around technology showcases and channel expansion. Our approach with PaniniClub is fundamentally different. We treat consumer electronics as cultural artifacts rather than purely functional tools.
This perspective was validated in the real world. Instead of only appearing in traditional tech environments, PaniniClub was invited for two consecutive years to ComplexCon, one of the most influential cultural festivals in the United States. We were not there because we are a charger brand. We were there because the product carries cultural meaning.
At ComplexCon, Panini101 existed alongside fashion, music, and street culture. It attracted celebrity buyers and inspired creators and influencers to organically produce content. This led to strong digital visibility and engagement across platforms. The product was not only used. It was interpreted, shared, and talked about.
For me, this was a clear validation. Consumer electronics do not have to remain invisible infrastructure. They can become visible, expressive, and emotionally resonant objects.
Panini101 is only a starting point, but it suggests a shift from devices people simply use to objects they relate to, and from technology as utility to technology as culture.
In today’s industry, most brands optimize for performance, efficiency, and distribution. That is why events like CES are often centered around technology showcases and channel expansion. Our approach with PaniniClub is fundamentally different. We treat consumer electronics as cultural artifacts rather than purely functional tools.
This perspective was validated in the real world. Instead of only appearing in traditional tech environments, PaniniClub was invited for two consecutive years to ComplexCon, one of the most influential cultural festivals in the United States. We were not there because we are a charger brand. We were there because the product carries cultural meaning.
At ComplexCon, Panini101 existed alongside fashion, music, and street culture. It attracted celebrity buyers and inspired creators and influencers to organically produce content. This led to strong digital visibility and engagement across platforms. The product was not only used. It was interpreted, shared, and talked about.
For me, this was a clear validation. Consumer electronics do not have to remain invisible infrastructure. They can become visible, expressive, and emotionally resonant objects.
Panini101 is only a starting point, but it suggests a shift from devices people simply use to objects they relate to, and from technology as utility to technology as culture.