Hus Kafe-mahaia by Olga Szymanska is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2017 Urrezko Saria A' Design Award in Altzari Diseinua Competition Category.

UrreAltzariak· 2017

Hus Kafe-mahaia

by Olga Szymanska

Client: Olga Szymanska Design

Urrezko Saria A' Design Award Winner in Altzariak Category

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Verified Award Winner

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The Design

About Hus Kafe-mahaia

Hus kafe-mahai bat da, aldi berean umeentzako jostailu-etxe gisa ere balio duena. Mahaia bi modulu eta kentzeko moduko gainalde batez osatuta dago. Modulu bakoitzak eraikin baten solairu bat irudikatzen du, leihoekin, eskailerekin, horma mugikorrekin eta altzari txikiekin. Moduluak lekuz aldatu, biratu edo bereizi daitezke, eta gida-errailei esker egonkor mantentzen dira. Modulu huts bat biltegiratzeko erabiltzen da. Beheko pieza eta hankak haritz trinkoz eginda daude, eta goiko pieza eta gainaldea MDFz. Umeek eraikuntza-materialen ehundurak eta pisuak arakatu ditzakete, hala nola egurra, hormigoia eta panel gardenak.

The Recognition

About the Urrezko Saria A' Design Award

Hus Kafe-mahaia Urrezko Saria A' Design Award irabazlea da, lehen mailako, zoragarriak eta nabarmenak diren diseinuei ematen zaien aitorpen izugarri prestijiotsua. Urre-mailako irabazleak berrikuntzaz beteriko, ikuspegi handiko eta distiraz liluragarriak diren sorkuntzak dira, beren diseinatzaileen genioa, jakituria eta trebetasuna islatzen dutenak. Hus Kafe-mahaia oso goraipatua, joera-markatzailea eta monumentala den asmakizuna izatea espero da, balio aurrekaririk gabea eskaintzen duena. Urrezko Saria A' Design Award irabazi duen diseinu hau proiektu ikusgarri eta errespetatua da, artearen, zientziaren, diseinuaren eta teknologiaren mugak oso onuragarriro zabaltzen dituena. Hus Kafe-mahaia desira-sentimendu biziak sortzen dituen, grina pizten duen, sormena bultzatzen duen eta liluratzen gaituen lana da.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Hus is made of natural materials used in construction like wood, concrete or transparent panels. Children can get to know the smells, textures and weight of those materials. Simple forms of furniture and walls can help teach to arrange open space. After play the house turns into a table.
Dimensions & Packaging: Whole object: Width 760 mm x Depth 400 mm x Height 370 mm
Miniature walls: Width 150 mm x Depth 20 mm x Height 90 mm
Miniature furniture: 30 pieces in various shapes and dimensions
Paper box for the small pieces: Width 330 mm x Depth 220 mm x Height 102 mm
Package: Width 860 mm x Depth 500 mm x Height 470 mm
Tags: table, furniture, toy, learning, architecture, modular, minimalist, creativity, arranging, storage
Production Technology: The table consists of three main pieces. The bottom piece and legs are made of solid oak wood, the upper piece and the top are made of MDF. All small parts (the furniture) are made of solid oak wood and oiled with natural flaxseed oil. The miniature walls are made of concrete, solid oak wood and clear PVC. The window openings are cut with CNC milling machine.
Design Challenge: The most important challege was finding materials which would be locally sourced and hand manufactured with attention to detail and quality; and at the same time with finishing that would be safe for children to use (non toxic lacquer, natural flaxseed oil).
Research: Wanting to create a worthwhile object for children, I observed groups for 4- to 10-year-olds during constructive play. I noticed that when children are not constrained in their imaginative play, they look down on their created mini-world from above (not from the side). I decided to use this idea and designed an object in which children could play with open space resembling modernist architecture. I made a prototype and allowed children to play with it. The design was well-received by children.
Inspiration: I noticed that the market is saturated with low quality plastic toy houses with distorted proportions and chaotic details. I wanted to create an object which could be a worthwhile place to play and learn for children. The form of the table is reminiscent of modernist architecture, which was noteworthy for its open space interiors. This means that the children are not limited to arranging fixed rooms and can use their unconstrained creativity.
Project Duration: The project started in Warsaw in January 2016, and was completed in May 2016. It was exhibited at Wawa Desig Festival in Warsaw and at the Institute of Design in Kielce, Poland.
Operation Flow: The table consists of two independent modules and a removable table top. The modules can be shifted, turned or separated. It is safe because of guide rails which prevent the modules from falling apart. Each of the two modules represents a floor of a building, with windows, stairs, freely movable walls and furniture. An empty module can be used as storage space.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Olga Szymanska, 2017.
Image Credits: Images: photographer Didi Studio