ZEMSO’s Magnolia Smart Bus Shelter Wins Bronze at the 2025 International Design Awards (IDA)

ZEMSO Group, in collaboration with Donghua University and EAD Yixiang Design, is pleased to announce that its Magnolia Smart Bus Shelter has been honored with the Bronze Award at the 2025 International Design Awards (IDA). This recognition highlights ZEMSO’s continued commitment to innovative urban design and marks an important step for Chinese smart transportation solutions on the international design stage.

The Magnolia Smart Bus Shelter draws its creative inspiration from Shanghai’s city flower, the white magnolia, a symbol of elegance, resilience, and upward growth. Through a refined and minimalist design approach, the structure adopts smooth lines and a light, expanding form that conveys openness and vitality. The design language reflects Shanghai’s identity as a global city—modern yet human-centered, inclusive yet forward-looking—while responding sensitively to its surrounding urban environment.

More than a visual landmark, the Magnolia Smart Bus Shelter is conceived as a next-generation urban mobility infrastructure. It integrates real-time electronic bus information displays, high-resolution digital advertising screens, and intelligent ambient lighting systems, enhancing both daytime functionality and nighttime cityscape aesthetics. By combining transportation services, public information dissemination, and urban image presentation, the shelter transforms a traditional waiting space into a multifunctional public service node.

From a user-experience perspective, the design prioritizes comfort, clarity, and accessibility, aiming to improve daily commuting efficiency while elevating the emotional quality of public space. The intelligent systems embedded within the shelter support smart city operations and reflect the growing demand for digitized, connected, and people-oriented urban infrastructure.

Winning the IDA Bronze Award represents more than an achievement in design excellence. It underscores the global recognition of China’s capabilities in smart transportation design and urban innovation, and affirms ZEMSO’s role as an active contributor to international design dialogue. The project demonstrates how technology, aesthetics, and public service can be seamlessly integrated to address contemporary urban challenges.

As cities worldwide accelerate urban renewal and intelligent transportation development, ZEMSO remains dedicated to delivering design-driven, technology-enabled solutions for public spaces. Looking ahead, ZEMSO will continue to collaborate with academic institutions, design partners, and municipalities to create future-ready smart mobility environments that support sustainable growth and enhance the everyday experiences of urban residents.