2026 Galleries

2026 Galleries // 2026 Spark: Spring Student // RE:TURN

RE:TURN

Finalist

Competition: Spark: Spring Student
Designer: Jisoo Jung
Design Type:
Company / Organization / School: Hanseo University
Team Members: Jisoo Jung; Prof. Sung-il Song

RE:TURN is a portable air purification system designed to address indoor air pollution generated by traditional cooking practices in regions with limited access to electricity and ventilation. Every year, millions of people are exposed to harmful smoke and airborne pollutants produced by biomass fuels such as wood, charcoal, and agricultural waste. These pollutants contribute to severe respiratory illnesses and disproportionately affect women and children who spend extended periods near cooking areas.
RE:TURN was developed to provide a practical and sustainable solution that operates independently of external power infrastructure. The product integrates advanced filtration technology, energy harvesting, and circular material management into a single user-centered system.
At the core of RE:TURN is a Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) filtration chamber. MOF materials possess highly porous nano-scale structures and exceptionally large surface areas, enabling efficient adsorption of harmful gases and airborne pollutants. Through its transparent body, users can visually monitor the condition of the filtration media and better understand the purification process.
The product’s form language draws inspiration from the mushroom, folding fan, and hourglass. The mushroom-inspired canopy maximizes filtration exposure, the folding fan inspires the expandable structure, and the hourglass symbolizes circulation and renewal. Together, these inspirations create a compact product that transforms into an active purification system when deployed.
A key innovation of RE:TURN is its self-regenerating mechanism. After cooking, users rotate the upper canopy, causing the MOF particles inside the chamber to redistribute and maintain adsorption efficiency. This simple interaction extends filter lifespan and reduces maintenance requirements.
The rotational movement also drives an internal micro-turbine that converts kinetic energy into electricity. This harvested energy supports essential product functions without requiring grid power, making RE:TURN suitable for off-grid environments.
To minimize energy consumption, the product utilizes an E-Ink display that provides filter status, maintenance information, and system updates while consuming extremely low levels of power. Information remains visible even when power generation is inactive.
Beyond the physical product, RE:TURN introduces a circular MOF ecosystem. Used MOF materials can be collected, regenerated, and redistributed through a dedicated service network. Rather than treating filtration media as disposable waste, the system extends material life through reuse and controlled replacement cycles. Users can receive regenerated MOF materials when performance declines, ensuring continuous and affordable operation while reducing environmental impact.
The name RE:TURN represents the product's philosophy of returning clean air, regenerating filtration performance, and creating a circular flow of resources. Through the integration of MOF filtration, self-regeneration, energy harvesting, and material circulation, RE:TURN provides a sustainable approach to improving indoor air quality in traditional cooking environments.