Jiang Xiao, a doctoral student of Faculty of Innovation and Design at City University of Macau (CityU) won the 2026 iF STUDENT DESIGN AWARD with his work “Roots of Light—Decentralized Mini Museum for Culture”. With the guidance of Professor Chai Chunlei and Associate Professor Po-Hsun Wang, this project focuses on cultural learning needs in resource-deprived community, exploring the innovative pathway to promote culture inheritance and community development. The result was announced recently.
Roots of Light was inspired by the lack of cultural learning opportunities in resource‑deprived communities, with its design concept shaped during Jiang's doctoral research. Inspired by discussions on a greenery case in the course "Special Topics in Design Theory and Practice," the project combines abandoned tree stumps, solar technology, and community narratives to create a decentralized learning network integrating cultural display, education, and lighting. Using design tools such as MOOD BOARD, Jiang synthesized natural materials, community culture, and sustainability into a unified vision. Through modular design, underutilized spaces are transformed into cultural learning nodes, offering a new approach to cultural heritage, education, and community development.
