The 2nd National Competition of Toy Design and Manufacture
by: Aslan NoorghasemiFeb. 2, 2013
last update: March 15, 2021
Design in today's world faces the complexities and intense competition of manufacturers. It seems difficult to come up with a plan that can meet the customers' needs and also be competitive with today's turbulent market. Toy design, although it seems simple in general, is one of the most complex design trends and has always occupied a part of the designers' minds. Toy design criteria are different from other products design due to their sensitive audience. Psychological factors, safety, culture, materials, cost, and even taste are all some of the factors involved, and the failure to consider any of them will lead to failure of the plan.
Experience is what makes a child adapt to the surrounding; it makes them ready to enter the world. The experience of texture, color, and form will teach them how to handle real-world situations. In this exploration, the child learns and builds the foundations of knowledge to live in adulthood in an environment that suits their needs. Correct cognition is formed in the child's early experiences. The toys that are chosen by parents and educators should have the opportunity for valuable experiences that if forms well in childhood, adulthood will be an easier chapter of life.
Before the competition, we had the chance to attend a number of workshops about toy design. The subjects of these workshops were:
• Definitions of Toy, and Different Age Groups
• Principles of Toy Design
• Materials, and Methods of Manufacturing
• Toy Assessment Methods
They gave me a better understanding of the whole procedure. It was my first time doing an engineering and design project that involved psychology, and the workshops were helpful for understanding how everything comes together.
This event was an opportunity for me to experience the real-world application of design thinking and engineering. The challenge was to find an appropriate idea to work on. As far as I remember, I used to love Lego since my childhood because it gave me the freedom to imagine and create various structures. Nowadays, I get almost the same feeling while programming or using creative design software. Therefore, I used Lego as my inspiration.
I started to think about the ways I could possibly extend the lego. One of my major concerns was the hardness of the lego pieces. I always had a problem with making my desired organic curvatures. As a result, I came up with the "Fabric Lego," small shapes made from fabric that can easily connect and disconnect from each other.
Eventually, this project has been selected for the 3rd award. One of the judges, Prof. Sohrabpour, told me during the defense session that the simplicity and minimality of this idea were astonishing from his point of view.
Fabric Lego also has been appreciated by Iran's Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology.
