SEOUL DESIGN AWARD

Anako is a social design organization dedicated to realizing dignity, sustainability, and resilience through design. It has created essential survival tools for refugees, migrants, isolated women, and vulnerable children, with its emergency bassinet being a flagship project. Designed to safely protect babies even in dire crisis situations, the bassinet is lightweight and easy to assemble, enabling rapid deployment during evacuation and transit. Made from recycled and locally-sourced materials, it minimizes environmental impact while providing infants with a safe and protective space.

Anako’s work extends beyond the emergency bassinet. It has produced diverse solutions, such as life jackets for mothers carrying babies, safe blood plasma transport devices, and visual aid-based medical tools—all born from urgent field needs. Every process involves collaboration with engaged students, NGOs, and local communities, with cooperatives and artisans participating in production, ensuring solutions that are both simple and scalable.

Anako continues its collaborative research and design efforts every year with over 500 students across eight universities worldwide. To date, it has produced and distributed over 1,000 emergency bassinets and 500 maternity kits to crisis regions, establishing them as symbols of care and solidarity that go beyond material aid. Through utilizing recycled materials and local production, Anako’s activities also contribute to reduction of environmental impact and enhancement of social inclusion.

It is Anako’s ultimate aim to build a decentralised network of design labs worldwide to spread knowledge sharing and community care. The emergency bassinet project is a shining example of this vision, demonstrating that design can transcend mere form-shaping into a practical tool that safeguards lives and reshapes the future of humanitarian aid.