The 2026 Red Dot Award: Design Concept ceremony was recently held in Singapore, bringing together designers and design teams from 56 countries. A faculty-student team from the School of Future Design at Beijing Normal University (BNU) received the Red Dot Award: Design Concept for its work ''D/Bay Smart Service System.''

Centered on a ''pebble-shaped'' wayfinding device that echoes the architectural form, the awarded project ''D/Bay Smart Service System'' addresses challenges including complex multi-party coordination, wayfinding difficulties in large spaces, and diverse visitor service needs. It builds a collaborative smart service system connecting visitors, operators, and government management departments, allowing complex digital systems to serve real-world scenarios through perceptible physical touchpoints. Commissioned by Shenzhen Bay Culture Plaza, the conceptual service design aims to create a smart service system for a comprehensive cultural venue that integrates a design museum, theater, library, and commercial spaces.

The project was led by Gao Peng and Wang Xituo. Faculty members Sun Yingdong, Zhao Qi, Zhou Yan, and Zhong Xu, together with students Zhu Kunhao, Yao Yanqi, Liu Luna, Huang Hongrun, Cai Yifeng, and Li Xuanlin from the School of Future Design, also participated in the design. The award reflects the School's professional strength in service design, systemic innovation, and industry-academia-research collaboration, as well as its continued growth on the international stage.