Stix - buenísimo.

Here’s the latest from NOTCOT’s London-based editor and resident zoologist, Justine Aw as she visits the London graduate showcases!

Another of my highlights from the Central Saint Martins 2013 Degree Shows was this fun project, Stix by Not Another Chair (Colin O’Dowd). The project was based on the idea that more dads are opting to stay at home and the kit encourages parents and children to play and explore their imaginations together, turning found sticks into cars, planes, trains and animals from the farm and jungle thanks to dad-friendly diy staples like cable ties and tool kits. Love the toy rubber band gun pack too! More photos on the next page.

Stix video from colin on Vimeo.

Tags: design - toys

Vía: http://www.notcot.com/archives/2013/06/stix.php

diseñar juguetes.

Of all the different types of industrial designers we cover, it's exhibit designers and toy designers that get the shortest shrift; there simply aren't many of you lot giving out interviews. But now Lenny Panzica, a Hasbro product designer has stepped up for a Gizmodo interviewexplaining the design process behind the latest Transformers toy. (Panzica, by the way, is a natural fit to design the dragon-inspired "Predaking" robot; the dinosaur enthusiast has degrees in both archaeology and toy design.)

You'd think something as sophisticated as a transforming robot would be worked out almost exclusivly in CAD, so I was surprised to see how much of it is done on good ol' pen and paper:

Muñecas japonesas.

Uniones para todo tipo de juegos de encastre.

It has been amazing to witness the development of the Free Universal Construction Kit that NOTlabs’ ownShawn Sims and our friend Golan Levin created ~ and even more incredible to see the eye opening discussions it has sparked far beyond the interoperability of toy sets, but on patent/IP law, the future of 3D printing, open source physical forms, and much more around the globe… and now it has brought them (and me along with them!) to Linz, Austria for the Ars Electronica Festival, where the project has received the Award of Distinction in Hybrid Art from the Prix Ars Electronica. In addition to the award, Golan will be speaking tomorrow on the opening day of the festival, Shawn will be speaking on Sunday, and for the first time, the Free Universal Construction Kit can be seen in its entirety along with a selection of playful assemblages we created demonstrating various toys playing nicely together at the OK “Offenes Kulturhaus” CyberArts12 Exhibition!

So, we’ve just spent the last day setting up the display for the exhibition ~ and i’m thrilled to give you an early sneak peek before tomorrow’s opening!

p.s.
If you need a refresher on the project: Toys (specifically Lego, Lincoln Logs, Duplo, Fischertechnik, K’nex, Krinkles, Tinkerytoy, Zome, Zoob, Gears Gears Gears, etc) + 3D printer + Free Universal Construction Kit = MORE ways to play with your toys! And all of the pieces are available for download (open source!) onThingiverse, which you can either print on your own 3D Printer, or send them to a 3D printing service (likeShapeways!)

Tags: 3D Printing - art - NotLabs - technology - toys