Web EA - ZCOOL Awards(2020)
The 3rd ZCOOL Awards concluded after an intense selection process, and on August 31, 2020, the official shortlist was announced, featuring 177 outstanding works across 13 categories, including brand design, packaging, publications, posters, typography, web design, interface design, commercial illustration, concept design, picture books, digital short films, commercial photography, and industrial product design. The jury panel for this edition consisted of 19 distinguished domestic and international design experts, with the mission of “discovering and enhancing the value of design.” The evaluation emphasized multiple dimensions of design value, encouraging designers to gain higher-level insights into real needs, identify opportunities, apply unique perspectives to solve problems, and deliver comprehensive solutions, thereby recognizing works and designers that elevate overall design quality.
Among the winners, LML Design Studio’s project “Jaa Go Baau” stood out for its innovative web design, earning the Excellence Award in Web Design. “Jaa Go Baau” is a new-generation Hong Kong-style trendy tea restaurant brand that carries forward the traditional DNA of Hong Kong tea culture while emphasizing youthfulness, playfulness, and social engagement. Originating in Hong Kong, the tea restaurant embodies a unique urban lifestyle and collective memory, combining the efficiency of Western fast-food operations with the warmth and atmosphere of Eastern culinary culture, forming a highly approachable and popular urban dining experience.
The web design adopts a “2.5D illustration” approach as its core visual expression. Through a three-dimensional yet non-photorealistic spatial construction, the tea restaurant scenes are symbolically reconstructed. Streetscapes, signage, food, and characters are translated into lightly stylized illustrative elements, retaining the recognizability of Hong Kong culture while aligning with contemporary digital aesthetics, achieving a balance between retro charm and modern trendiness. On the experiential level, the page layout simulates the logic of “walking into a tea restaurant”: from the storefront and signage to ordering, dining, and interactive scenes, guiding users through an immersive browsing experience. The information hierarchy focuses on the brand story, core products, and unique cultural features, reducing the clutter of traditional corporate websites while enhancing emotional communication and brand recall.
Overall, the design emphasizes a “lighthearted, fun, and approachable” brand personality. High-saturation yet restrained color schemes, exaggerated proportions of characters and food, and rhythmically designed animations create a digital tea restaurant space that is both culturally authentic and visually appealing to younger audiences. The website itself becomes part of the brand experience, rather than merely serving as a medium for information display.
