This project is an exploration of the fluid terrain of 'imagination', 'play' and 'children' to design for play for children. It has been informed through philosophical and phenomenological perspectives. How can we explore the practices and qualities of imagination (thought to images to form; in no specific order) and play to draw out the relation between them and the play modalities it could generate? It positions children as the faculty involved with comprehending, experiencing and manifesting imagination in their micro and meta reality through play and while playing.
One of the enchanting qualities of play, in its being and its transitional existence allows mixing of space and time, where tangible and intangible merges into one, or appears to be, when looked backwards in that moment. Play seems to weave together a fabric of space and time; a bridge between the very immediate and supremely vast.
One of the enchanting qualities of play, in its being and its transitional existence allows mixing of space and time, where tangible and intangible merges into one, or appears to be, when looked backwards in that moment. Play seems to weave together a fabric of space and time; a bridge between the very immediate and supremely vast.
The process has been designed by combining two approaches ~
Design Tools (Experimental Design Research + Theory as a Tool)
Child Centred Design for Play
This combination was chosen to be able to study imagination, play and children as a design researcher, as a playful participant and as a play & visual designer. Children are viewed as individual beings in relation to external factors, components that sit in the periphery and the environment around it.
A set of three playful activities in which children were given materials/tools to play with and create analogous images & forms. The 'player', the 'play experience', the 'play object' and the 'outcome' were observed to explore construction play and playful practices of imagination through expressive interaction.
Playing to imagine with an analog projector
Playing to imagine with materials / objects / form
Playing to imagine with inks
The outcomes of the design experiments highlighted that in any form of building, constructing and putting things together; the idea of a dot turning to a line, line to a shape, shape to a form and forms to the world around us holds the player captive.
What if a building toy was made to be unending?
Can a building toy be made to have multidimensional growth/flow?
Can the toy keep reinventing itself?
Can it connect in many ways, instead of only x, y and z axis?
How many permutations - combinations can it have?
What if a building toy was made to be unending?
Can a building toy be made to have multidimensional growth/flow?
Can the toy keep reinventing itself?
Can it connect in many ways, instead of only x, y and z axis?
How many permutations - combinations can it have?
INTO is a multi-combinational, building toy enabling free and imaginative play.
It is for children 4 and above. It can be played individually or in groups.
It encourages multiple - varied outcomes without a correct or a desired end.
It is not time bound.
It is for children 4 and above. It can be played individually or in groups.
It encourages multiple - varied outcomes without a correct or a desired end.
It is not time bound.
