Unica Plus turns the light switch into a paper-scroll slide — Red Dot BoB 2026

Unica Plus is a light switch series from Schneider Electric that replaces the traditional rocker with a sliding cover, translating the 'digital scrolling gesture' of smartphones into a physical interaction. The Shanghai design team set out to redefine the visual and physical form of the switch, settling on paper — one of the most delicate everyday materials and one of China's greatest inventions — and on the flowing form of the traditional Chinese scroll.

To understand the material, the team experimented with folding, cutting and bending paper, then translated those observations into the switch's slim, frameless profile and softly rounded lines. The slide mechanism was the central engineering challenge: it had to be smooth and precise, yet durable, stable and safe. Because sliding involves longer surface contact than pressing, tactility drove the material choice — a natural finish inspired by the textures of sand and stone.

At 4.3 mm, the series blends almost seamlessly into the wall, meeting the desire to integrate technology into living spaces without visible clutter. The Red Dot jury called the switch's exceptionally flat profile 'impressive', its sliding mechanism 'ingenious' and its tactile feedback 'another well-thought-out and innovative concept'.

At the Red Dot Design Award 2026, Unica Plus received Best of the Best, the competition's highest distinction — the first time a Schneider Electric product had taken the top honour — as part of nine Red Dot and iF awards the company won that season.