A mobile ward developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) won last month the Red Dot Design Award for design in Germany. (KAIST)

By Lee Jihae

A mobile ward developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has won one of the world's top three design awards.

The facility is used to treat patients with severe cases of COVID-19.

KAIST on April 19 said a team led by professor Nam Tek-Jin, chair of the school's Industrial Design Department, won the grand prize for product design at this year's Red Dot Design Awards.

The awards are one of the world's top three for design along with the If Design and Idea Design awards.

Earlier on April 8, Nam's team also won the top prizes at the If awards in four fields: product architecture, indoor architecture, user interface and user experience.

Winning consecutive awards at the world's most famous design competitions, the mobile ward has thus gained international recognition for its functions, efficiency, creative design and aesthetics.

The negative pressure facility is used for quarantine and can swiftly be altered or remodeled.

The ward is undergoing test operations at Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences in Seoul and a vaccination center on Jeju Island. It will also be installed at Konyang University Hospital in Daejeon.

jihlee08@korea.kr