By: ZY Zhou

Memory Land, a notable digital memorial platform co-created by designer Qihang Zhang, has been honored with the highly regarded iF DESIGN AWARD 2025 in the Digital & User Experience category. This globally recognized award is considered one of the most prestigious design prizes in the world, awarded by iF International Forum Design GmbH for over 70 years.

The innovative application stood out among nearly 11,000 submissions from 66 countries, demonstrating the high quality of its design and the vision of its creators. A panel of 131 independent design professionals served as jurors for this year’s awards, acknowledging Memory Land’s unique approach to digital grief support.

Pioneering Design Leadership

As the principal UX architect and co-creator of Memory Land, Qihang Zhang has played a significant role in reimagining how technology can support the grieving process. Drawing on his background in human-centered design and emotional intelligence in digital interfaces, Zhang led the conceptualization and development of Memory Land’s core experience.

“This recognition reinforces our belief that technology, when thoughtfully designed, can address deeply human needs,” Zhang told reporters. “Memory Land emerged from a vision to create digital spaces that honor both the emotional complexity of grief and the enduring power of human connection.”

Revolutionary Features and Scientific Foundation

The award-winning platform integrates several innovative features developed under Zhang’s design leadership:

• Emotion-Responsive Interface: An adaptive UI system that aims to respond to users’ emotional needs, providing support based on recognized patterns of grief expression.
• Advanced 3D Scanning Technology: The capability to digitize physical mementos, from handwritten notes to cherished family heirlooms, preserving them in detail within digital memorial spaces.
• Immersive Virtual Spaces: Personalized memorial environments that can be customized with various media elements including photos, videos, and audio recordings.
• Collaborative Memory Sharing: Tools that allow families and friends to contribute to and maintain memorial spaces, fostering connection and shared remembrance even across geographical distances.
• Intuitive User Interface: A design that strives to achieve a balance between simplicity and depth, ensuring accessibility for users of all technical backgrounds while supporting personal expression.

The platform’s design is grounded in scientific research, particularly the dual process model of grief (Stroebe & Schut, 1999), which emphasizes the importance of balancing loss-oriented and restoration-oriented activities for healthy grieving. Zhang’s approach combines aesthetic sophistication with psychological insights, resulting in a platform that has been widely acknowledged as transformative in the digital mental health landscape.

Real-World Impact

 Memory Land users have reported significant benefits from the platform. In one case study, an international student described how Memory Land helped preserve connections to their late father’s calligraphy and poetry, creating a portable sanctuary of memories accessible from anywhere in the world. These experiences demonstrate the platform’s effectiveness in addressing the unique challenges faced by globally mobile individuals in maintaining meaningful connections to lost loved ones.

This iF DESIGN AWARD follows Memory Land’s previous recognitions, including being a finalist for the UX Design Awards 2025 and winning Gold at the London Design Awards, further strengthening its reputation as a pioneering solution in the digital mental health landscape.

Innovation in a Growing Market

Memory Land represents a notable contribution to the global digital mental health market, which is expected to exceed $15 billion by 2030. By focusing on the underserved segment of grief support, the platform addresses a growing need for digital solutions for grief in an increasingly digital-native population.

About Qihang Zhang

Zhang has established himself as an innovator in user experience design through his work as a senior product designer at Chartmetric. His portfolio demonstrates a commitment to advancing digital interaction, combining cutting-edge technology, human-centered design, and data-driven insights to create products that resonate with users.

At Chartmetric, Zhang has led the design and strategic vision for several high-impact initiatives, including Talent Search, Artist Milestone Social Media Campaign, Chartmetric Mobile App, and Landing Page—all of which have been recognized with industry awards. His contributions have improved product usability, streamlined workflows for artists and industry professionals, and reinforced Chartmetric’s position as a leader in music data analytics.

Zhang’s design philosophy is rooted in scientific research and psychological insights, ensuring that products are not only intuitive but also foster emotional well-being. As co-creator of Memory Land, Zhang has applied this expertise to develop a platform that addresses the universal human experience of grief through thoughtfully designed technology.

About the iF DESIGN AWARD

Since 1954, the iF DESIGN AWARD has been recognized globally for design excellence. The iF Design brand is internationally established as a symbol of outstanding design achievements. The award honors achievements across all disciplines: product, packaging, communication and service design, architecture and interior design as well as professional concept, user experience (UX), and user interface (UI). All award-winning entries are presented on ifdesign.com.

More information about Memory Land can be found on the official iF Design website under “Winners & iF Ranking.”

Published by Joseph T.