10 Years of Smart Access: The Design Evolution of Nuki Smart Locks

May 12, 2015. The day a Kickstarter video marked the beginning of a bold new idea: redefining access in Europe with a smart door lock. Today, ten years later, we celebrate not just the growth of Nuki, but also the stunning design evolution of our smart locks — and how they changed the lives of nearly one million people.

From "Magic Black Box" to Design Icon

From day one, our vision was crystal clear: to create a revolutionary smart lock that’s not only smart, simple, and secure — but also stunning. In close collaboration with our long-standing design partner EOOS, and under the creative direction of Harald Gründl, we brought this vision to life. The result? What we called the “Magic Black Box” — a bold, minimalist design that instantly resonated with tech pioneers and early adopters alike.

"The Magic Box was a radical design concept," recalls Harald Gründl, "primarily aimed at tech nerds and early adopters.”

During the development process, however, a manual control element was added – paying homage to the material aesthetics of traditional door hardware – which would go on to shape the form of Nuki’s first-generation Smart Lock.

The evolution from this first prototype to the current fifth generation has been driven by one consistent principle: form follows function – and identity. The design process was never an afterthought; it was foundational from the beginning. Each generation started as a design study and evolved through a deep collaboration between our design and engineering teams.

A Legacy of Award-Winning Design

Our commitment to design excellence was honored in 2020, when the Nuki Smart Lock 2.0 received the prestigious Red Dot Design Award. In an interview at the time, Harald Gründl highlighted the key challenge: uniting software, hardware and design, while ensuring intuitive, user-friendly interaction. That clearly has become a Nuki hallmark. 

Fast forward to 2025, and we're proud to share that our most advanced model yet – Smart Lock Ultra – has been honored with the iF Design Award, one of the world’s most prestigious recognitions for outstanding design.

“This award celebrates our commitment to innovation, design excellence, and enhancing security,” says CEO Martin Pansy. “With Smart Lock Ultra, we’ve proven that high performance and sleek, recognizable design are not mutually exclusive.”

The Iconic Circle: A Signature of Trust

One design element has remained iconic throughout the years: the LED circle. From the very beginning, it served as a visual bridge between hardware and software — signaling status, guiding interaction, and making every Nuki Smart Lock instantly recognizable.

“The circle is the identity of Nuki,” Gründl says. “There’s no compromise on that. It’s not just aesthetic; it’s a functional and emotional anchor for our users.”

Even as the Smart Lock Ultra has become three times faster and two-thirds smaller than its predecessors, the LED circle remains — smaller, but just as powerful. It’s a beacon of continuity in an era of rapid change.

Shrinking Size, Expanding Usability

Designing a more compact smart lock without sacrificing on power or style has been one of our most defining design challenges. With the fifth-generation Smart Locks we achieved a breakthrough: integrating both the gear mechanism and battery directly into the knob. This leap in engineering took years of iteration  — a precise balancing act between millimeters and mechanics.

But the payoff is huge: a sleeker look, easier installation, and an improved user experience. Features like a magnetic charging cable and interchangeable color rings make it easier than ever to integrate Nuki to any home.

“With this generation, we’ve created a design that appeals to a broader Smart Home audience,” Gründl explains. “It blends beautifully with contemporary interiors — and still feels unmistakably Nuki.”

A Decade of Partnership and Trust

Behind every design success lies a strong, long-term collaboration. For over a decade, EOOS and Nuki have worked side by side — a partnership built on trust and mutual respect that continues to grow stronger with each generation.

“What’s truly remarkable is that the enthusiasm we had in 2015 is still alive today,” says Gründl. “Every product remains an exciting challenge, and Martin and Jürgen Pansy continue to place full trust in our partnership.”

This close partnership has empowered us to continuously refine our products, anticipate trends, and deliver smart locks that not only perform exceptionally but also look and feel like the future.

Looking Ahead

As we celebrate our 10-year anniversary, we’re proud of how far we’ve come — and excited about where we’re going. With every generation, we’ve pushed the boundaries of what smart access can be, balancing innovation, usability, and timeless design.

Here’s to the next 10 years of smarter ways to unlock homes all around the globe.