Hasta La Ideas

A new paper-based building block kit brings creativity back to playtime

The founder of five businesses devoted to art and commerce, ReadyMade‘s Grace Hawthorne is close to realizing another creative idea—a series of toys called Paper Punk. With 12 days left of her Kickstarter campaign, Hawthorne is just a few dollars short of her goal to raise $15,000 for Paper Punk production. Inspired by the level of excitement people exude when working with their hands, the industrious publisher and professor hopes Paper Punk will empower both kids and adults to exercise their creative mind with this little DIY design toy.

Packed flat, with a few folds the paper kits transform into 3D geometric blocks, which you can then use to build toys spanning snakes to birthday cakes. Starting with just a handful of designs called Singles, Hawthorne aims to expand this simple concept to include free shapes online, a sturdier version for small kids and a charitable component for public school art programs.

Each of the three initial kits—Pup, Bot and Ride—come with a set of “punch-n-build” shapes, a plethora of stickers and adhesives, straightforward instructions and a reusable folder to store all of the fun. The DIY toys will retail for $19, but Kickstarter pledges of $20 or more will get you a kit and help make Hawthorne’s project possible.

Check out the full scope of Paper Punks and make a pledge online at Kickstarter.

#Amos rende omaggio ad uno dei suoi primi e più importanti personaggi disegnati dal genio di #James Jarvis con questa versione in legno di faggio del famosissimo #Yod. Ne saranno disponibile solo 30 pezzi acquistabili dalla mezzanotte del 2 Luglio 2011 direttamente dal suo web store.
{Via}

In this game of chess created by designer Florian Hauswirth of Switzerland, pieces that are taken can be stacked to create new pieces with combined abilities.

Called Democratic Chess, the maple set can be used either as a traditional chess set or played according to Hauswirth’s rules.

The design was presented at Ventura Lambrate in Milan last month as part of a presentation entitled Trattoria Utopia by design collective Postfossil.

See all our stories about Milan 2011 »

Here are some more details from Hauswirth:

Democratic Chess – Postfossil Trattoria Utopia Collection 2011

The game of chess as model for a utopian society

The scenario described by a traditional chess set consists of a monarchy with entourage including a castle/city, soldiers/knights and pawns/people. It is a game of strategy, whereby planning for the next move is essential.

Chess – ‘The Royal Game’ – has been played since time immemorial in the most varied cultures from India to Persia, Russia, to the Vikings. Nowadays, computers are increasingly playing alongside chess masters.

Democratic Chess is a new interpretation of the traditional chess game. Not only the form, but also the function of the figures has been re-interpreted, which means that the flow and content of the game can change. Democratic Chess increases the unpredictability of the game, creating totally new and surprising situations.

New ways of playing are made possible by the shape of the figures. Pieces taken are not eliminated but stacked, thus creating new figures, which have more abilities. For example, a knight or even a second queen can be made from several pawns etc.

Democratic Chess can be played in one of three ways:

• normal chess (monarchy) with the traditional rules
• the new, democratic chess, with flexible values and play scenarios
• A constructive children’s game

Material: maple wood, in coloured varnish

POSTFOSSIL sets up its exhibition ‘Trattoria Utopia’ during the Milan Furniture Fair (12 -17 April 2011) in Ventura Lambrate.

The objects exhibited in the exhibition ‘Trattoria Utopia’ provoke discussion, encourage questions and allow new utopias to arise. The interaction in the space is central, as is the exchange between visitors and designers. Trattoria Utopia ventures a peek at the future, suggests possible scenarios and combines these with impossible ones. Visions are presented, but developed together with visitors. Trattoria Utopia is a meeting place that invites one to spend time, make discoveries and to contemplate.

The collection ranges from cutlery, crockery, seating to toys: Objects that can be found in a trattoria, but which also deal with the postfossil vision. The objects are arranged and displayed on and around a large board. Removed from their pure function as exhibits, they can be tried out and tested by the visitors.

See also:

.

FHNY Collection by Florian Hauswirth	Postfossil at Milan 2010	Doublefacette by Postfossil

Le collectif Dorothy a eu l’idée de montrer l’impact de la guerre et de ses méfaits en reprenant des soldats en plastique pour enfants, mais en détournant leurs actions. En soulignant alors les horreurs de la guerre ainsi que ses conséquences sur la santé mentale des soldats.

Previously on Fubiz

• You Took My Name
• Prime Big Series
• Streets Against The War

Copyright Fubiz™ – Suivez nous sur Twitter et Facebook

Six design items for kids of all ages from DesignMarch 2011

With the sheer amount of Scandinavian creativity, it’s clear kids in the region get an early start thanks to high-design playthings. We recently had a chance to check out some of the latest games, toys and more at the country’s annual design showcase, DesignMarch where there was no shortage of aesthetically-appealing products. As entertaining to adults as they are to wee ones, check out a few of our favorites below, as well as our round-up of designs made from locally-sourced, natural materials.

Puzzled by Iceland brings beautiful scenic photography to the mind-building childhood tradition of puzzles. Accompanying each entertaining puzzle, mythical and historical facts relating to each depicted scene teach kids about Iceland. Designed for varying ages and skill levels, the puzzles come in 48- or 500-piece editions starting at $28.

Creatively designed for comfort and fun, Sunbird clothing combines playful fringes and bright colors with extremely soft and easily-maintained cotton to keep everyone happy—from the children wearing it to parents and passersby. Pieces start around €33 and are available from the Sunbird shop online.

Stáss Ornaments‘ bunny- and swan-shaped Fairytale Clocks add a charming splash of color to any kid’s bedroom. The colorful epoxy-coated aluminum clocks are a nice display of functional allure. Check
Stáss retailers for availability.

Signý Kolbeinsdóttir and Helga Árnadóttir—the duo behind the imaginative Tulipop notebooks, notecards and prints—add whimsy to paper goods with illustrations of otherworldly characters. Wall stickers and seasonal gift tags round out their collection of environmentally-friendly designs, typically made with organic materials. Products sell from their
online store for around €12 each.

Designer Anna Þóunn’ cuddly Fjöll pillows are inspired by the natural bond between Iceland’s pure mountains and the sheep that roam them each spring. Made of real sheepskin, one side features a fuzzy place to lay your head and the other a graphic depicting the mountainous scene. Each is filled with the highest quality down, and following the shape of the sheepskin’s original form, unique in shape and size.

Check out Iceland design shop Epal for many of these products and more from Iceland’s top designers.