Gold Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Products Design · 2025
Magic Cube Air Conditioning Outdoor Unit
by Zhejiang Zhongguang Electrical Co.,Ltd
- A' Design Award 2025 Gold Winner in Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Products Design
- Awarded April 15, 2025
- CLIENT: Outes
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 37,942
- Verification code 2B410A9220 · Verify this award
About Magic Cube Air Conditioning Outdoor Unit
Magic Cube is a modular air conditioning outdoor unit that provides heating, cooling and hot water for houses. The outer casing is divided into five identical panels and one customizable panel, joined by a strong magnetic structure instead of screws. The lightweight panels can be combined freely according to the position of the air outlets, which reduces mold making and transport costs. A single panel can be fitted or removed by one person. The customizable panel serves for maintenance and offers different appearances for various living spaces.
ZHEJIANG ZHONGGUANG ELECTRICAL CO.,LTD.'s Magic Cube Air Conditioning Outdoor Unit represents a significant contribution to the evolving discourse surrounding the aestheticization of utilitarian domestic technology, demonstrating how climate control equipment can transcend purely functional parameters to become thoughtfully integrated architectural elements. The design team appears to have engaged deeply with contemporary material culture conversations about the visibility of mechanical systems in residential and commercial environments, offering a sophisticated response that neither conceals nor apologizes for the presence of necessary equipment but instead celebrates it through careful formal consideration. The geometric discipline evident in the cubic volumetric approach suggests influences from minimalist design philosophy, where reduction and clarity serve as guiding principles, while the varied surface treatments across the product family indicate awareness that contemporary consumers seek personalization options that respond to diverse architectural contexts and aesthetic preferences. The vertical ribbing creates optical texture that transforms potentially monotonous surfaces into engaging visual fields, while the strategic placement of vivid orange accent bands demonstrates understanding of visual hierarchy and brand communication within product design. The inclusion of wood grain and marble-effect variants reveals sensitivity to the growing desire for technology that speaks the language of natural materials, bridging the perceived divide between mechanical necessity and domestic warmth. Technical accomplishment manifests in the apparent precision of manufacturing, the consistency of proportions across variants, and the successful integration of functional requirements like ventilation grilles within aesthetically coherent forms. This work invites consideration of how everyday objects shape our environmental experience and whether thoughtful design can transform the mundane into occasions for aesthetic appreciation.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- This is a modular air conditioning outdoor unit, which provides heating, cooling and hot water for houses. This product splits the panel into five identical modules and one customizable panel, connected by magnetic suction. The modular panels are lightweight and highly applicable, and can be freely combined according to the position of the air outlet, reducing mold opening and transportation costs. The customizable panel is used for maintenance and disassembly, and also provides users with more choices of appearance, integrating into different living scenarios.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 1250mmx560mmx1130mm
- Tags
- modularization,Heat pump outdoor unit,Personalized customization
- Production Technology
- Heat pump air conditioners have better energy-saving performance compared to ordinary air conditioners. With the same amount of electricity, they can deliver stronger wind power, have lower operating costs, and do not emit air pollutants, making them more environmentally friendly.
They use R290, a natural refrigerant that does not damage the ozone layer, reduces the greenhouse effect, protects the environment, and helps achieve carbon neutrality.
The plastic panels do not require spraying. They are made from recycled marine waste, natural resources, and biodegradable materials.
The modular design of the panels allows for easy individual replacement, increasing the recycling rate of outdoor units. - Design Challenge
- Unlike the situation where the appearance and structure of existing outdoor units are restricted by the air outlets, the modular panel design allows each panel to discharge air. This innovation provides more possibilities for the layout of internal fan blades and other components. Engineers can rearrange the internal components based on technology without being restricted by the panels.
- Project Duration
- The project started in September 2024 in Ningbo China.
- Operation Flow
- The modular panel adopts a strong magnetic suction structure for connection, significantly reducing the use of screws. This allows a single panel to be easily installed by one person, and the disassembly process is extremely convenient. The customized panel, serving as the main maintenance panel, is not only eye - catching but also very aesthetically pleasing. It can be personalized according to users' preferences and different application scenarios.
- Research
- Traditional air conditioner outdoor units have problems such as environmentally unfriendly materials, bulky models that cause inconvenience in transportation, the need for professional installation, and high costs. To address these pain points, the modular panel designed in this study is made of plastic material, which is both lightweight and environmentally friendly. It greatly reduces the installation difficulty and simplifies the disassembly process.
- Inspiration
- The existing outdoor units use sheet metal materials,which are difficult to process,and the combination of shape and internal structure is also limited."Magic Cube" is a modular outdoor unit that splits and combines panels,pioneered by OUTES.The random splitting and combination provides a new idea for the structural layout of outdoor units in the market.The panels are connected by magnetic suction,which is easy to disassemble and convenient for amateurs to operate independently.
- Image Credits
- Zhejiang Zhongguang Elec
- Patents
- Zhejiang Zhongguang Elec