This modular publication consists of zines, each crafted with a visual language reflecting the identity of storytellers. Centered around New York coffee shops, it captures how new immigrants navigate connection and belonging. The sewn and vacuum sealed format evokes impermanence and emotional tension. Through personal narratives, the project uncovers the social value of small businesses and reframes emotional design as a tool for inclusion.
Designed by Xun Zuo
Recognized by A' Design Award.
Xun Zuo is a multi-disciplinary designer whose work lives at the intersection of brand, environment, and culture. With a bold heart and a thoughtful brain, he crafts visually immersive experiences that resonate deeply with audiences. Specializing in visual identity systems, Xun is particularly skilled at bringing ideas to life through motion and 3D storytelling. His design language is playful, provocative, and unafraid to be direct. Over the past six years, Xun has collaborated with global brands including Nike, EA, Timberland, Don Julio, and MoMA, contributing to creative strategy, marketing, and pop-up retail design. He creates consumer-centric narratives that transform physical spaces into sensorial, immersive brand experiences. In parallel, Xun has worked with acclaimed contemporary artists such as Futura2000, Nina Chanel Abney, OJAS, and Stash. He led the environmental and experience design for the Nina Chanel Abney x Jordan x MoMA design store, and designed the physical space for CAFEAO—a concept café by Edison Chen that blends fashion, street culture, and café rituals. A coffee lover himself, Xun is fascinated by the café as a cultural and emotional hub that merges hospitality with retail. Originally from China and trained at Pratt Institute in New York, Xun brings a cross-cultural lens to every project. He is especially interested in how people from different backgrounds perceive and physically engage with design in real-world contexts. This sensitivity allows him to craft brand experiences that are not only visually striking, but also emotionally and strategically grounded. Xun is currently expanding his practice at the intersection of branding, experiential design, and fashion, leading culturally relevant projects that challenge conventional boundaries and speak directly to audiences.
Xun Zuo has A++ Rating, valid through 2025. A++ stands for Noteworthy Rating. DBI Awards the A++ Rating to entities delivering noteworthy design efforts that showcase strong innovation, sound execution, and a clear alignment with project objectives. This rating underscores a capacity to produce meaningful creative outputs that address user needs while maintaining a high standard of quality. This certificate is awarded following a rigorous evaluation process led by an esteemed jury panel made up of journalists, academics, design professionals, and entrepreneurs worldwide. The assessment uses a blind peer-review methodology to ensure impartiality, with entries evaluated according to established guidelines and scored uniformly. Through this process, DBI highlights and honors noteworthy achievements in innovation, design quality, and creative capacity.
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