BASF’s Coatings division has earned prestigious recognition at this year’s Red Dot Award: Product Design for their innovative automotive color, ZENOMENON. The only automotive paint honored this year, ZENOMENON stood out in the “Materials and Surfaces” category for its groundbreaking technology and distinctive aesthetic appeal.
The formulation of ZENOMENON’s coating revolves around polymer structures developed in collaboration with Cypris Materials from California. Unlike traditional pigments, these structures incorporate a significant portion of renewable materials, offering a more sustainable option in automotive coatings. The result is a mesmerizing color effect created by self-assembled layered structures that reflect light across the visible spectrum, producing a distinctive iridescent sheen. This unique flop effect gives the paint surface a shimmering appearance.
Looking towards future automotive trends, these polymers also prove suitable for LIDAR or radar sensor systems.
Mark Gutjahr, global head of Automotive Color Design at BASF, commented on the significance of receiving the Red Dot Award: “Being recognized with a Red Dot in product design is a tremendous honor for us, especially as a chemical company. This accolade underscores our expertise in design and technology, as well as the confidence that our automotive industry customers place in our innovative solutions.”
The Red Dot Design Award evaluates entries based on four key criteria: functionality, emotional appeal, usability, and sustainability. The development of ZENOMENON impressed the independent Red Dot jury with its forward-thinking approach, blending aesthetics, sustainability, and functionality seamlessly.
All award-winning products, including a display featuring ZENOMENON, will be showcased until May 2025 at the Red Dot Design Museum located at the UNESCO World Heritage Site Zollverein in Essen, Germany. This exhibition highlights the pinnacle of global design excellence recognized by the Red Dot Award.
