On September 9, it was announced that, under the guidance of Professor Choi Jong-woo in the Department of Industrial Design, College of Design, Hanyang University ERICA students Lee Han-woong, Kwon Hyuk-woo (Industrial Design), Choi Yoon-ji, and Kim Min-ji (Communication Design) won the highest honor, ‘Best of the Best,’ in the Concept category at the ‘Red Dot Design Award 2025.’

The Red Dot Design Award is recognized as one of the world’s top three design awards and is regarded in academia as prestigious as publication in a leading journal. ‘Best of the Best’ is reserved for only the very best among all winners.

The award-winning project, ‘PerchCare,’ replaces conventional restraining methods for weighing wild birds during the rehabilitation process with a perch-type scale, allowing birds to be weighed naturally as they perch. The design aims to reduce stress birds experience and prevent life-threatening situations by minimizing human intervention. Its combination of practicality, aesthetics, and technical innovation won the attention of international judges. This achievement demonstrates Hanyang University ERICA College of Design’s global competitiveness in design-technology education.

Professor Choi Jong-woo(Ryan) commented, “It is crucial that students independently identify problems and design creative and feasible solutions. This award is the result of our curriculum, student dedication, and strong teamwork.”

The team representative Kwon Hyuk-woo said, “We wanted to address overlooked challenges in wildlife conservation through animal-friendly design. With the help of advice from wildlife centers and engineering experts, we could achieve this outcome, and I am grateful to our professor for making it possible.”

The winning team will attend the official awards ceremony in Singapore this coming fall.

Meanwhile, Professor Choi’s experience with innovative design projects for global brands such as McLaren(UK) and Logitech (Switzerland) led him to establish the Future Form Design Lab(FFD Lab) at Hanyang ERICA in 2024. This lab serves as a converged platform connecting design, engineering, and the broader industry, and supports students in building global-level practical skills.