Zyxel.
Designing a Wi-Fi router range for a lower-carbon future.
WMP's product design team created the Zyxel Minimal Series, a next-generation range of Wi-Fi routers built from 100% recycled plastics with integrated power-saving features, going on to win the Red Dot Award for Product Design 2024.
Sectors
Expertise
Background.
A new generation, built to be Zyxel's most sustainable yet.
Having created Zyxel's previous Design Language System, WMP was asked to define the next one, this time with sustainability built in from the start.
Having worked alongside Zyxel in the past to create their previous Design Language System, which has been successfully implemented 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 actually performs better than a less considered one: 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 Solution.
A design language built on global research, and grounded in sustainability.
Unifying global stakeholders around one design direction.
We conducted a series of in-depth interviews with Zyxel's key global stakeholders across EMEA, US and Taiwan HQ, as well as a group of key customers within each region, to understand aesthetic preferences and requirements for the next generation of Zyxel Wi-Fi routers, with the ambition of unifying the company around a single design language rather than regional variations. We created a wide range of conceptual design directions and visualised how each could be rolled out across multiple archetype form factors, inviting global stakeholders to review and rank the options against a set of criteria. Feedback from the different regions and the R&D team was carefully incorporated into a single, globally accepted design direction during concept development.
Designing out waste, from materials to disassembly.
The product casings are crafted from 100% recycled plastics with integrated power-saving features, resulting in an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to using virgin ABS plastic for the same product case. Because these devices are typically refurbished over their lifecycle, with casings often replaced as a result, the casings were also designed for effortless assembly and disassembly, making refurbishment easier, extending product lifespans and reducing plastic waste. A focus on efficient airflow design minimised power consumption without compromising performance: the vent details were designed to remove the need for an internal fan to dissipate heat, saving additional power and reducing the number and complexity of internal components.
Let's work together
Let's partner to create brand, product, and experience solutions that move people and markets.
Giving the range shape, colour and versatility.
The Minimal design family blends sharp edges with soft profiles, with a suggested pastel colour palette that integrates seamlessly into subscribers' home environments, and prominent, visually striking vent details that give the devices a balance of being unobtrusive yet high-performance, reflecting Zyxel's market position. The range spans three form factors, Flatbed, Tower and a wall-mounted option, giving customers a choice of device tailored to their environment. Having designed the new range, WMP was also invited to tell its design story to customers through a series of product animations.
The impact.
An award-winning range, and Zyxel's most sustainable yet.
The range design was awarded the prestigious Red Dot Award for Product Design 2024, recognising a router range built from 100% recycled plastics with an 80% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to virgin ABS plastic, and giving Zyxel a single global design language to carry forward across future products.
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Red Dot Award 2024 Product Design
