Werkelkueche Jouet by Christine Oehme is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2021 A' Design Award d'Or in Produits pour Bébés Competition Category.

OrProduits pour Bébés· 2021

Werkelkueche Jouet

by Christine Oehme

Client: Christine Oehme

A' Design Award d'Or Winner in Produits pour Bébés Category

58,323

Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #123332

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Werkelkueche Jouet

Le Werkelkueche est un poste de travail d'activités non genré qui permet aux enfants de s'immerger dans des mondes de jeu libres. Il combine les caractéristiques formelles et esthétiques des cuisines et établis pour enfants. C'est pourquoi les Werkelkueche offrent diverses possibilités de jeu. Le plan de travail en contreplaqué courbé peut être utilisé comme évier, atelier ou piste de ski. Les compartiments latéraux peuvent fournir un espace de stockage et de cachette ou cuire des petits pains croustillants. A l'aide d'outils colorés et interchangeables, les enfants peuvent concrétiser leurs idées et imiter le monde des adultes de manière ludique.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award d'Or

Werkelkueche Jouet est lauréat de l'A' Design Award d'Or, une reconnaissance immensément prestigieuse décernée à des designs de premier ordre, merveilleux et remarquables. Les lauréats Or sont des créations extrêmement innovantes, visionnaires et d'un éclat glamour éblouissant, qui reflètent le génie, la sagesse et la maîtrise de leurs concepteurs. Werkelkueche Jouet est censé être une invention très louée, avant-gardiste et monumentale, qui apporte une valeur sans précédent. Ce design lauréat de l'A' Design Award d'Or est un projet spectaculaire et respecté qui sert grandement l'art, la science, le design et la technologie et en repousse les limites. Werkelkueche Jouet crée de vifs sentiments de désir, éveille la passion, encourage la créativité et nous fascine.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: The ”Werkelkueche” is a gender-open activity workstation for children. It combines the formal and aesthetic features of children's kitchens and workbenches and thus opens up playful possibilities that are beyond gender stereotypes. The curved worktop can be a sink and a ski slope. The side compartments offer storage space or can bake crispy rolls. The interchangeable tools allow children to realize their ideas and imitate the adult world.
Dimensions & Packaging: 710mmx440mm780mm
Tags: children, kids, toy, gendersensitiv, kitchen, workbench, play, moulded wood, sheet steel
Production Technology: The worktop of the ”Werkelkueche” is made of thermally deformable birch plywood from UPM. This material allowed me to give the rigid wood a soft, deep groove. This material is in optical and haptic contrast to the powder-coated sheet steel on the front and rear walls.
Design Challenge: The challenge in the conceptual work was the fusion of existing toys and their design opposites. I wanted to make a design that was recognizable and at the same time completely new. From a technical point of view, the thermal deformation of the birch plywood was a particular challenge. After several weeks of experimentation, I had found the right bend angle and also a way to connect this countertop to the rest of the pieces.
Research: Expert interviews and surveys with parents, the influence of gender in children's worlds, five qualitative interviews with educators and leaders, survey with over 900 individual answers, gender plays a subordinate role in children themselves up to the age of three, but from the point of pregnancy a clear distinction is made between male and female through the social environment, clothing and objects, parents want more so-called gender-neutral things
Inspiration: The world of children is actually colorful, loud and diverse. But this children's world is often divided into gender stereotypical roles: the clothes are either pink or blue, in the toy department mystical fighting ninjas ”for boys” and cute dolls ”for girls” are sold. This suggests to even the youngest children what social images and expectations are placed on girls or boys.
Project Duration: The project started in June 2020 with extensive research with parents and social workers. I developed the Werkelkueche as part of my bachelor thesis at the Berlin University of the Arts. The project was completed in December 2020.
Operation Flow: The ”Werkelkueche” is an open-ended, intuitive play space for children. There the world of adults can be imitated in a playful way, conflicts can be negotiated and security gained: Who am I and how does it feel to slip into another role? These experiences are an essential part of the child’s self-identity.
Patents: Registered Design. No. 402020204285-0001. Christine Oehme. 2021
Image Credits: Image #1: Manuel Meinhardt, Werkelkueche, 2020
Image #2: Manuel Meinhardt, Werkelkueche, 2020
Image #3: Manuel Meinhardt, Werkelkueche, 2020
Image #4: Manuel Meinhardt, Werkelkueche, 2020
Image #5: Manuel Meinhardt, Werkelkueche, 2020