Hasta La Ideas

Over the next few weeks we will be highlighting award-winning projects and ideas from this year’s Core77 Design Awards 2012! For full details on the project, jury commenting and more information about the awards program, go to Core77DesignAwards.com

Based off the traditional barrel organ Musicon allows children to learn music through a tactile and intuitive way.

While visiting multiple pre-schools with his double bass, Kamil Laszuk realized he wanted to design a musical learning device for children. Musicon is that idea and this years student winner for Consumer Product. Snap on percussion instruments and variable rhythm cogs assist in the development of musical skills. Musicon is a revolutionary tool that makes the learning process broad and accessible to all skill levels.

Musicon is a creative, interactive “music making educational play devise”, designed to promote development and exploration, both physical and artistic, for children of ages 2-8. Whether it is at home, in a pre-school, early elementary classroom or a therapy session employing music.

How did you learn that you had been recognized by the jury?

Oh, it was a wonderful moment! I was traveling with friends in Europe, and while in Breganca, Portugal I checked the internet for places to visit the following day, and that was then I receive the Core 77 message. I could not stop smiling for the next 3 days.

What’s the latest news or development with your project?

Musicon was declared one of the Best Designs of Graduation Projects in Visegrad Group by 2+3D Design Magazine, Zamek Cieszyn 2012. A few weeks ago the project was displayed at the DMY 2012 Berlin Design Days Festival, Graduation Projects Category for 2012.

What is one quick anecdote about your project?

While I was in the beginning stages of designing “Musicon” I made a tour of a few pre-schools with my double bass, as I am also a musician with a graduate degree. I wanted to see first-hand how children learn, develop and absorb music. While visiting one pre-school I discovered there was one little girl who was deaf. She was the only deaf child there and appeared quite sad, as she seemed to have no friends. When I started to play all the children started to dance, but she continued standing alone in a corner. But, slowly she came over to the double bass, touched the wood, looked up at me, and became the happiest child in the room. She was hugging the double bass as I was playing and that moment was both inspiring and educational for me. She could not hear the music, but she could feel it! Because of this wonderful experience I committed to design toys for ALL children, even those with challenges. That special moment with the little deaf girl, showed me that what was to became “Musicon” had be an effective learning device for children, both in regular and therapeutic learning settings.

What was an “a-ha” moment from this project?

When I discovered the old style barrel organ. That was both inspiration and a very important “a-ha” moment. There were a number of different ways in which I considered designing a musical (educational) toy, such as musical vehicles or even musical clothes. But, when I found the barrel organ I knew “this is it”, this is how it’s going to work the best.

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