2026 | Student

MUSE Design Awards Gold Winner

Illusion Candle Studio:Exploring Love in the Algorithm Era

Entrant

明志科技大學(Ming Chi University of Technology)

Category

Packaging Design - Innovative

Client's Name

Illusion Candle Studio | Taipei

Country / Region

Taiwan

[ Exploring Love in the Algorithm Era ]
In an era dominated by dating apps, we possess incredibly high matching efficiency, yet lack the patience to truly understand someone. Paradoxically, digital connections exacerbate collective loneliness. We consume meticulously crafted "personas," forgetting how to see the real "person" behind the screen.
Illusion Candle Studio transforms the traditional wisdom of "reading minds with candlelight" into accessible "noise-reducing design":
Packaging Structure: The signature openwork design symbolizes the complexity of human nature. These structural gaps guide users to observe the layers hidden beneath the surface.
Candle Design: A fusion of geometric ideals and organic reality. Cylinders, cones, and spheres represent the perfect imagination of love, while the cleverly integrated human silhouette and emotional resonance evoke the warm touch of a real body.
Users light the candle during conversation and initiate the ritual using the accompanying cards and instructions. As the candlelight flickers and the fragrance fills the air, they will receive a key called "Focus"—a pure 30-minute window that allows them to break free from the constraints of scrolling screens, open their hearts, and build genuine connections with others.

Credits

student
李若瑀 (LEE RUO YU)
student
焦柏睿 (CHIAO PO JUI)
student
楊佳瑜 (YANG JIA YU)
student
張惟森(CHANG WEI SAN)
student
蕭妤蓁(HSIAO YU CHEN)
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