[Photo provided by Hyundai Elevator Co.]

South Korea’s Hyundai Elevator Co. was named a finalist in the 2018 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) organized by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) with its ‘universal multi bar’. 

The company said it has become the first elevator maker to receive the award at the IDEA, which is one of the world’s top three design awards along with the Red Dot Design Award and Germany’s International Forum Design Award (iF). 

The universal multi bar is an elevator call button equipped with an additional button located at the knee level and a ‘touchless foot button’ that allows people to summon the lift just by putting a foot on the sensor. The feature especially comes in handy for people carrying stuff in their hands, children or people in wheelchairs. 

“Our design capability is once again recognized in the world as we received an industry-first iF award in 2017 as well,” said an official from the company. “We have designed the product after taking into account the fact that an elevator should help convenient movement of various kinds of people.”

By Kang Doo-soon and Choi Mira