UNICO by Blupura achieves the iF Design Award 2023

A new outstanding achievement has already marked this memorable year for Blupura. The Italian company has been honored with the iF Design Award 2023, one of the most renowned design awards in the world, counting a steadily increasing number of submitted participants – almost 11,000 – from 56 countries only this year.

This prestigious new milestone has been possible thanks to the innovative design of two Blupura products that stood out from this fierce competition. Together with Blu2Go, the innovative design of UNICO has finally been selected as a winner, after passing a challenging two-stage process to convince 133 internationally renowned design experts.

UNICO is a high-end, yet easy-to-use water filling station, designed for every area with a large influx of passing people, with a particular focus on airports. Nowadays, a growing number of airports have begun to install water-filling stations for thirsty travelers who want to stay hydrated, thus needing to fill their bottles up throughout the terminals, before boarding their flight. This choice belongs to a collective effort aimed to find sustainable ways to improve airport amenities, making them clean, easy, and green.

This state-of-the-art water dispenser features some of the most innovative technologies in the market; featuring Artificial Intelligence (AI), UNICO can satisfy any request of high-quality drinking water – ranging from cool still and sparkling water to room-temperature and even hot water – filling any container automatically, safely, and hygienically.

Each tap delivers a specific water type, as indicated by a matching icon. Once you choose the water preferred from the supplied display, UNICO will refill your container automatically, stopping the dispensing when full, thus avoiding unwanted water leakages. Alternatively, UNICO can work with the innovative Touch-Free technology, a hands-free system which eliminates the need for any buttons, thus reducing the proliferation and transmission of germs, bacteria, and viruses. The activation sensor is located at 120 cm height, in full compliance with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) regulations, as well as for children from 6 years old and elder people.

From an environmental perspective, the UNICO bottle-filling station uses totally natural refrigerant gases (HC) such as R290, and it would encourage travelers to bring their own reusable bottles with them, rather than purchasing disposable ones, thus reducing single-use plastic water bottles waste together with plastic recycling costs.

With a focus on long-term sustainability and a dedication to environmental stewardship, Blupura is continuing to make a positive impact, always paving the way towards a greener and more sustainable future.