Hus שולחן קפה

Press Kit

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