Playing is a child’s way of exploring and understanding the world. Playing means learning how to live and allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination.
Where can go young industrial designers to learn the design of playing in depth? Thanks to Stylepark, I’ve discovered ‘Design of Playing and Learning’, a discipline within the Industrial Design bachelor’s course at Burg Giebichenstein in Halle. There students learn to design furniture and toys for children and adults (playing and learning are present in all life phases!).
Their approach is very interesting: toys and furniture need to offer children the scope for personal uses. It’s important to give kids the possibility to develop a flexible and dynamic mind. Their projects are very different: playful stools and chairs, a landscape to play or to use like a wardrobe, building blocks, adult games and more.
Here some of them that caught my eye.
In this chair, you can play or read without getting disturbed. Design by Raja Köbke. Photo © Burg Giebichenstein
Not all the shelves are the same. Take a look at these little “tree house nests”. Photo © Marvin Heß
“The little city“ by Judith Schulz, Wiebke Steinert and Teresa Schulten. You can use them as stools, houses or caves… Photo © Burg Giebichenstein
We want robots! by Markus Utomo, a game with the issue of humans and robots, between analogue and digital worlds.
Some projects about the creation of structures and patterns by interconnected elements and modules.
Rundbunt by Johannes Nortmann
Cambium by Leonarda Spassova
Plattenbau by Isabel Apel
Esse by Sebastian Hennig
And three projects around child’s role-playing games (dollhouses, castles, etc.)
Aboricol by Monika Hoffmann Photo: Marco Warmuth.
Lumini by Tanja Lärm Photo: Marco Warmuth
Crab flat by Richard von Fircks Photo: Marco Warmuth
If you want to see more projects, go to Design of Playing and Learning website.
First picture: V wie Vogel by Lena Mühl
