Wendy Chua, Gustavo Maggio, Gabriel Tan, Sebastian Alberdi
While creating a new project what are you inspired by and why?
I was born in Argentina, but my family has Italian roots and I currently live in Singapore. This cultural diversity sparks many interesting starting points to design unique and meaningful products, spaces and experiences.
Nature is also an important source of inspiration, millions of years of evolution provide us with an amazing array of experiences that arouse all our senses. All you need is a walk in the park, and a curious eye.
Suitable design for kids – what does that mean for you?
Engaging, stimulating, creativity enablers.
Tell us more about your cooperation for the ecological sand toy collection for Ekobo.
Some time ago, under the design collective outofstock we started a collaboration with the french brand Ekobo, that produces objects using bamboo as the main material. It was a very interesting project that led to a series of sand/beach tools and toys for children, made in bamboo composite.
After certain time most of this toys’ material will decompose if left at the beach or sea, thus reducing the plastic pollution that affects our oceans.
We were inspired in sea animals, so we designed a tortoise, a whale, a manta ray and a pelican, each one can be used differently with water or sand. The collection is called Animo.
Do you feel there is a toy that every child should have?
Any toy that allow children to create freely is important to develop their creativity, building blocks are a good example. Sustainability is also a concept that we need to share with kids from a young age. I like this brand piperoid of paper robots from Japan.
What are the main stages of designing for kids? Aren’t they just the same as those that we use for designing for adults?
Designing for kids is very exciting, specially because you never really know how they will end up using the product. It is also quite different because their motor and intellectual skills change dramatically as they grow, so defining a target age is important in some cases.
The design process will be similar, just that the prototype testing and subsequent adjustments may take more steps.
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Photos Gustavo Maggio