APU Design Pioneers Shine Bright with International Accolades at Taipei Design Award 2023
In the face of emergencies and natural disasters, the treatment of deceased bodies has often been a distressing and undignified affair. Witnessing bodies hastily placed in body bags, sometimes disrespectfully stacked together, particularly during the global pandemic, prompted three forward-thinking undergraduate students to embark on a mission to redefine the process with compassion, dignity, and sustainability.
Bennie Beh Hue May and Elson Loo Xin Yang, both Bachelor of Product Design students from the Lestarial Research Team at the School of Media, Arts and Design (SoMAD), Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), joined forces with Wayne Chong Chee Kin, a Bachelor of Mechatronic Engineering student from the same university. Together, they conceptualised and designed "SERENIX," a reimagined regenerative casket crafted from Loriam, a sustainable cardboard composite.
Loriam, with its transformative properties into an eco-friendly material boasting exceptional strength, became the backbone of SERENIX. This material's strength-to-weight ratio surpasses wood, ensuring robust structural support without unnecessary weight.
"SERENIX" emerges as a regenerative solution, emphasising compassion towards the deceased. It features a temporary stretcher capable of carrying a maximum weight of 100kg and handles for easy transportation into an enclosed storage space with a built-in natural preservation feature. The design is rooted in environmental consciousness, aiming to eradicate non-sustainable material use and deforestation.
Team SERENIX, comprised of (L-R) Elson Loo Xin Yang, Bennie Beh Hue May, and Wayne Chong Chee Kin, proudly posing with the Silver Prize trophy of the Industrial Design Category at the Taipei Design Award 2023.
Recognising the trio's innovative approach to compassion, sustainability, and dignity in handling the deceased during emergencies, SERENIX received international acclaim. On November 10, Team SERENIX secured the Silver Prize in the Industrial Design Category at the Taipei Design Award 2023, amid stiff competition with over 29 finalist entries from eight countries. APU's team proudly represented Malaysia and was the sole representative in the industrial design category, winning a cash prize of NTD200,000 (about RM30,000) in a ceremony held at Regent Taipei.
Team SERENIX from APU was the sole representative in the Industrial Design category at the Taipei Design Award 2023. In this picture, (L-R) Wayne Chong Chee Kin, Bennie Beh Hue May, and Elson Loo Xin Yang proudly pose with their award-winning design project
The journey to success involved six months of intensive Loriam material testing, research, and development. Team roles were clearly defined, with Bennie focusing on ideation, Computer-Aided Design (CAD), poster design, and prototyping; Wayne contributing engineering innovation ideas; and Elson managing render design and animation video editing.
"The preparation phase for SERENIX CAD modelling, rendering, poster designing, and video editing took nearly two weeks, culminating in a submission right before the Preliminary Selection deadline. Finally, the creation of the physical mockup, scheduled to be sent to Taiwan, required almost three weeks for preparation, prototyping, and finishing," explained Bennie, the team lead.
Mentored by SoMAD lecturers Mr. Eekang Ooi, CIDe, and Mr. Liew Yong Kian, the team's achievement was hailed as a testament to the strength of APU's product design curriculum and its alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
"With the strengths of our product design curriculum at APU, we not only educate upcoming students in using this material as their design base that helps save the earth but also produce designs that match and carry international standards," said Mr. Eekang Ooi.
Key features of SERENIX include a Flat-Pack Design for optimised transportation efficiency, an Enclosed Storage with built-in natural preservation, a Pull-Up Origami Design inspired by the Jade Emperor Burial Suit, Sealing Protection and Tagging Information for streamlined body identification, Stackable Storage method in line with regenerative closed-loop systems, Natural Preservation crafted from Loriam with evaporative cooling properties, User-friendly Design with a small door for easy opening, and Eco-friendly Funeral Options of cremation and natural burial.
While a French design company clinched the Golden Prize for Industrial Design, SERENIX's recognition underscores its contribution to regenerative design principles, setting a new standard in handling deceased individuals with compassion, dignity, and environmental responsibility. The Taipei Design Award, organised by the Taipei City Government, continues to champion the ethos of "Design for Adaptive City," recognising innovative solutions that contribute to the betterment of cities worldwide.