Tactile Enrichment Цацкі-антыстрэс by Ruoyou Zhou

Tactile Enrichment Цацкі-антыстрэс by Ruoyou Zhou is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Жалезная прэмія A' Design Award in Дызайн цацак, гульняў і тавараў для хобі Competition Category.

ЖалезаЦацка· 2026

Tactile Enrichment Цацкі-антыстрэс

by Ruoyou Zhou

Client: Ruoyou Zhou

Жалезная прэмія A' Design Award Winner in Цацка Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Tactile Enrichment Цацкі-антыстрэс

Тактыльнае ўзбагачэнне — гэта серыя цацак-антыстрэсаў, арыентаваных на пачуццё дотыку. Серыя складаецца з пяці кубікаў, кожны памерам 50 на 50 на 50 міліметраў. Кожны кубік зроблены з аднаго матэрыялу: гліны, скуры, металу, дрэва або тканіны. На ўсе пяць кубікаў нанесены аднолькавы трохмерны ўзор, таму розніцу паміж матэрыяламі можна адчуць рукой. Кожны матэрыял мае сваю вагу, тэмпературу і пах. Кубікі можна трымаць у руках і гуляць з імі, пакуль вочы занятыя, а рукі свабодныя. Задума палягае ў тым, каб паменшыць залежнасць ад зроку і надаць дотыку большую ролю ў штодзённым досведзе.

The Recognition

About the Жалезная прэмія A' Design Award

Tactile Enrichment Цацкі-антыстрэс — пераможца Жалезнай прэміі A' Design Award, прэстыжнага прызнання, якое прысуджаецца добрым дызайнам, што адпавядаюць прафесійным і прамысловым патрабаванням, чаканым ад добра распрацаваных твораў. Жалезныя пераможцы дэманструюць вялікае майстэрства, высокую спецыялізацыю, экспертнае разуменне і творчыя здольнасці сваіх стваральнікаў. Чакаецца, што Tactile Enrichment Цацкі-антыстрэс — гэта высока цэнены, захапляльны і любімы твор, практычны і інавацыйны. Гэты дызайн, што атрымаў Жалезную прэмію A' Design Award, інтэгруе лепшыя галіновыя практыкі і мае кампетэнтныя тэхнічныя характарыстыкі, звязаныя з ноу-хау і талентам. Tactile Enrichment Цацкі-антыстрэс паважаецца за грунтоўнасць і прызначаны даваць паляпшэнні якасці жыцця, што дапамагаюць зрабіць свет лепшым месцам.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: We understand the world through our five senses, receiving emotions and information every day. This project is a series of fidget toys that rethink our sensory habits, which often rely too much on vision. It shifts the focus to touch. The same pattern is made from different materials, allowing users to feel variations in texture and resistance with their hands. By reducing visual input, the work highlights how touch and other senses can become the main source of experience and emotion.
Dimensions & Packaging: 50 × 50 × 50 mm .five pieces.
Tags: Fidget toy, Without Visual Dependence, Touch, Smell, Series, Mixed materials, Toy, Playful
Production Technology: Five materials were used, clay, leather, metal, wood, and fabric. Three dimensional textures were shaped into each material. Then the materials were cut into small pieces and attached to the cube. This required constant checking to ensure every piece fit perfectly after assembly. Each cube has six sides, and I made five cubes in total, like completing a 120 piece collage puzzle in different materials.
Design Challenge: The biggest challenge was repetitive work and making sure every piece fit perfectly. To avoid gaps after assembly, each material piece had to be sanded by hand. For the metal cube, thin and hard stainless steel was used. After many trials, I chose laser cutting to shape the pieces, then filled the gaps with putty and finished with spray paint. The most enjoyable process was sewing the leather cube, marking, punching holes, stitching, and tying the thread. I truly enjoyed each step.
Research: This project explores tactile experience without relying on sight. About 83 percent of the information we receive comes from vision. When reliance on vision is reduced, the other senses become stronger and more memorable. At the exhibition, visitors could freely touch and play with the objects and write down their thoughts on each material. The interactive display received positive feedback, as interaction is part of the research and the work serves as a bridge between me and the audience.
Inspiration: In daily life, we often play with small objects to ease anxiety or boredom, clicking a pen or turning keys in our hands. Fidget toys were created from this behavior. Based on this and my research on the five senses, I designed this series using different materials to explore new possibilities. Enrichment in animal care means providing toys or spaces to reduce stress and improve well being. As humans living in concrete cities, we also face stress. This design asks whether we also need enrichment.
Project Duration: In April 2023, I began researching the five senses, touch, sight, hearing, taste, and smell. In July 2024, I focused on the relationship between objects, people, and interaction. By July 2025, I was testing materials and making prototypes, selecting five for further development. Fabrication began in November 2025. The work was completed in February 2026 and presented at the 2026 graduation exhibition of Okinawa Prefectural University of Arts.
Operation Flow: These objects can be held and played with while watching TV, talking, or even during meetings under the table, any moment when the eyes are busy but the hands are free. The key idea is to enrich touch without relying on vision. Each material has a different weight, temperature, and even smell. Even with the same pattern, different materials create completely different tactile experiences.