Zyxel

Introducing the Zyxel Minimal Series, committed to a greener, low-carbon future.

We’ve revolutionized Zyxel’s product casings, crafting them from 100% recycled plastics with integrated power-saving features. This has resulted in an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to using virgin ABS plastic for the same product case, thereby significantly diminishing their environmental footprint.

Having worked alongside Zyxel in the past to create their previous Design Language System, which has been implemented successfully for several years, WMP was approached again and tasked with defining a new DLS to mark the next generation of Zyxel devices.  

A wireless router is one of the very few product categories where a better-looking device will actually perform better than less considered design. An aesthetically pleasing device is far more likely to be well positioned in a room rather than hidden away where the wireless signal will be blocked.

The Minimal design family, harmoniously blends sharp edges with soft profiles, the suggested pastel colour palette seamlessly integrates into subscribers’ home environments, This contemporary sophistication, combined with the prominent and visually striking vent details gives the devices the perfect balance of being unobtrusive, yet high-performance, reflecting Zyxel’s market position.

ViVi Liu-劉桂芳 Marketing Director at Zyxel

“It’s been a pleasure working with the professional team at WMP to develop Zyxel’s Minimal Series – Redefining sustainability and elegance.

I look forward to working together again in the future.”

Simple, yet powerful.

A series of in-depth interviews were conducted with the company’s key global stakeholders within the EMEA, US and Taiwan HQ as well as a group of key customers within each geographic region. The intention was to better understand the aesthetic preferences as well as the needs and requirements of the customers for the next generation of Zyxel Wi-Fi routers. The ambition was to unify the company with a single design language negating the need to create any regional variations. 

The design team created a wide range of conceptual design directions and visualised how the design language options could be rolled out across multiple archetype form factors. The global stakeholders were invited to review and rank the options according to a set of criteria that helped to guide their decision-making.

Feedback from the different regions as well as the R&D team was carefully considered and carefully incorporated into a single globally accepted design direction during the concept development phase.

Optimal airflow reduces power consumption without compromising performance.

Focus on efficient energy usage led to the optimization of airflow design, the outcome resulted in minimal power consumption without performance compromises. The design of the vent details negated the need of an internal fan to dissipate heat from the product, saving on additional power consumption and reducing the quantity and complexity of the internal components.

Telling the product story.

Having designed the new range of sustainable products WMP were also invited to tell the design story to the customers through animations.

Revolutionising the product casings, made from up to 95% recycled materials plastics with integrated power-saving features.

Due to the nature of the product’s lifecycle, the devices are typically refurbished and the casings for these devices are often replaced as a result. It was paramount to ensure the environmental impact of the production was reduced as much as possible. Utilizing recycled polymers was one area we were able to encourage this, it has resulted in an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to using virgin ABS plastic for the same product case, thereby significantly diminishing the environmental footprint.

Technology that blends seamlessly into the home environment.

Aesthetically, the design harmoniously blends sharp edges with soft profiles, elevating the overall visual appeal. The suggested pastel colour palette, materials and subtle and unobtrusive aesthetic, seamlessly integrates into different home environments, whilst providing service provider customers options.

Designed for efficient disassembly for refurbishment and end-of-life disassembly.

Along with the adoption of more environmentally friendly materials, the casings are thoughtfully designed for effortless assembly and disassembly, facilitating refurbishment, extending product lifespans, and reducing plastic waste.

3X form factors optimised for their specific use case.

With 3 different form factors including a Flatbed, Tower and, customers have a choice of devices to fit their individual requirements.

This variety in form along with an optional wall mount system, gives users the flexibility to situate their device in many different manners, tailored to suit their environment.

See more Product Design work.