Designing products with humour, humanity, and stubborn persistence

I’m Bashar Zapen, a Lead Product Designer based in Kiel, Germany. I work across UX/UI, embedded systems, industrial design, and product strategy, leading complex digital and physical products from discovery through engineering, manufacturing, and launch.

At onework, I lead design across a connected smart-building ecosystem. My work includes embedded interfaces, ETS applications, web platforms, connected controllers, and lighting products. I connect product, software, hardware, electronics, and manufacturing teams to turn complex technology into clear and coherent experiences.

My modus operandi combines humour and humanity with research, systems thinking, hands-on problem-solving, and enough stubbornness to push ambitious ideas into reality or fail spectacularly!

Before onework, I built the UX/UI function at MINT Software Systems, led the development of the circular packaging product Laminar, and created ImPulse, a paediatric cardiac surgery training platform. My work has received international recognition across product design, healthcare, sustainability, and mobility.

As a Palestinian designer and outspoken activist, my work is grounded in universal humanitarian values, equity, access, and human dignity. I believe design should do more than improve products. It should improve the systems and conditions surrounding people’s lives.

I’m particularly passionate about the intersection of healthcare and design, and I continue to develop ImPulse quietly alongside my professional work.

Interested in building something meaningful?

Please feel free to reach out with any opportunities or for further discussion.

Open to Work/Research Opportunities!

Industrial Design / UX Design / Design Research

Open to Work/Research Opportunities! Industrial Design / UX Design / Design Research

Honours & Awards_

ImPulse_ Winner in the category of Product Design, and sub-category of Good Health & Wellbeing.
Issued by_ Red Dot Design Award, May 2024.
ImPulse_ winner of the Gold Award in the 2023 Future Designer & Science for SDGs Innovation Contest.
Issued by_ UNESCO, January 2024.
ImPulse_ winner of the Gold Award in the 2023 International Innovation Design Awards (IIDA).
Issued by_ UNESCO, January 2024.
ImPulse_ Exhibitor & part of the "Top 100 Innovations Globally'.
Issued by_ Prototypes for Humanity, Dubai Future Foundation, November 2023.
ImPulse_ Winner in the category "Goodhealth & Well-Being."
Jury Statement_ "This is literally a life-saving design, a concept that can play a significant role in training better surgeons."
Issued by_ iF Design Award, Jun 2023.
ImPulse_ Master’s thesis published in Driving Design [Volume I] book.
Issued by_ Distributed Design Platform & Fab Lab Barcelona, May 2023.
Laminar_ Finalist & Green Cells Programme Awardee.
Issued by_ Green Product Award, Mar 2023.
ImPulse & Laminar_ Shortlisted with both projects.
Issued by_ Lexus Design Award, Nov 2022.
Veloroute H20_ 1st Place Winner in the category of "Science-Fiction".
Issued by_ Bundesministerium für Digitales und Verkehr (BMDV) & iRights.Lab, Oct 2022.
Veloroute H20_ Winner.
Issued by_ AMD Design Award, Sep 2022.
ImPulse_ Finalist.
Issued by_ Distributed Design Platform, Aug 2022.
Veloroute H20_ Shortlisted.
Issued by_ Lexus Design Award, Nov 2021.
Veloroute H20_ 1st place winner in the "Mobility in the City of the Future" category.
Issued by_ IAA Mobility & Konzepthaus Group, Sep 2021.
Veloroute H20_ 1st place winner.
Issued by_ Muthesius Transferpark & Landeshauptstadt Stadt Kiel, Jun 2021.
Untethered_ Finalist.
Issued by_ Stars of Science (Season 11), Jan 2019.
Untethered_ 1st place winner.
Issued by_ SABS Design Institute & The Jobs Fund, Dec 2017.
"Running Sleeve" that recharges the wearer's phone as they run_ 1st Place Winner.
Issued by_ Inscape Education Group, Sep 2015.