Kids can be suspicious of new foods & often categorize them as 'yuck' even before trying. As a result, many foods remain unexplored and mealtimes can turn unpleasant or foster negative relationships with food.
01What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
Kids can be suspicious of new foods & often categorize them as 'yuck' even before trying. As a result, many foods remain unexplored and mealtimes can turn unpleasant or foster negative relationships with food. Kids use curiosity & play to explore the world so why not use it to explore the food world? By bringing play to the table, I wanted to inspire curiosity, reinvent how families eat & encourages playful exploration beyond the game.
02What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
By bringing the endless benefits of play to the table, I wanted to inspire children and the inner child in every adult to be brave and inquisitvie to possibly be rewarded with a surprising discovery.
03What are your future plans for this award winning design?
To make it accessible to as many schools and families as possible.
04How long did it take you to design this particular concept?
Five years. The project started in 2015 in Gothenburg, Sweden and finished in 2020 in Gold Coast, Australia.
05Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?
Curious Gastronaut is a culmination of my passion for food and play & my specialisation in Children's Design. It started out as a thesis project in design school and turned into a passion project.
06What made you design this particular type of work?
Using the power of play, I wanted to create excitement around food, encourage children and adults alike to step out of their comfort zone, and inspire them to be explorers of the world. I wanted to create a tool that children could use to create something of their own and be proud of.
07Who is the target customer for his design?
The recommended age is 5 years and above. However, it is for all children and the inner child in all of us. It has been thoughtfully designed to maintain open-endedness and inclusivity.
08What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?
Firstly, it encourages players to reimagine food & experiment from ground up rather than from existing recipes. Secondly, it's open-endedness allows for multi use, endless interpretations & high playability. Thirdly, it was designed to encourage play and exploration in everyday life, even beyond the game. Rather than creating something with the purpose of selling or to keep children occupied, it was important for me to create something with a high play value.
09How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?
I liked the idea of exploring the gastronomical world like an astronaut explores space - with curiosity, excitement and an open mind. Hence, the name Curious Gastronaut.
10Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?
It infuses play with dining in a natural way without becoming a distraction. The prompts on the cards are whimsical & humorous, the visuals - gender neutral & simplistic but not childish, with the intention to stimulate the imagination and trigger joy & curiosity. It's open-endedness allows for multi use, endless interpretations & high playability.
12Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?
Although the project was solely designed by me, I met several play designers, pedagogists, educators, psychologists, parents and children, throughout the duration of the project without whom the project would not have been possible.
13Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?
I used exploratory research. My methodologies included surveys & secondary source research. Data collected informed research tools, namely participatory experiments (observed workshops & self-reported trials).
14What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?
The project was solely designed by me. However, it required all-round skills in design, illustration, writing and knowledge in play, child culture, food education, etc which I was able to build & improve through research & playtesting. Inspiring ongoing exploration while also motivating busy adults to play were additional challenges, which I overcame by introducing features like unlocking and journey maps, and by simplifying the gameplay into short, simple sessions. It took several iterations to make sure the players go from picking up the game to playing as soon as possible. Eco-friendly printing & manufacturing are goals I am currently working towards.
15How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?
I was very passionate about the idea and saw how greatly it impacted so many families. Through the competition, I was hoping to achieve visibility so many more can benefit from it.
16Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?
https://curiousgastronaut.com/
បទសម្ភាសន៍អ្នករចនា
24 សំណួរ
Ever since I can remember, I've loved drawing and making things. I knew pretty early on that I wanted to pursue design. I studied visual communication design at Srishti School of Design in Bangalore, India.
01Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
Ever since I can remember, I've loved drawing and making things. I knew pretty early on that I wanted to pursue design. I studied visual communication design at Srishti School of Design in Bangalore, India. Soon after I joined, a lab called Interactive Toy Design was introduced. YAY! It was supposed to be a side project but I loved it so much that by the time I finished design school, I had spent more time as a toy designer than as a graphic designer. I enjoyed making objects which led me to pursue a Masters in Designed Objects at School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the United States. When I realised I was directing all my briefs towards play and children, I decided to pursue another Masters in Child Culture Design at HDK in Gothenburg, Sweden. Professionally, I've had the opportunity to work with some of the best agencies and design studios around the world. I'm grateful for having had the privilege to go wherever my curiosity led me.
02Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
Studio Oddball is a one woman creative practise specialising in play and design for children based on the Gold Coast, Australia. I create unorthodox tools and experiences to stimulate and empower children, and encourage them to step out of their comfort zone through play. Studio Oddball is my playground!
03What kinds of works do you like designing most?
My work includes but is not limited to illustration, play design, graphic design, digital and physical toys & games design.
04What was the first thing you designed for a company?
Characters for an online game.
05What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
I let the project define the medium. It could be anything from digital illustrations to working with materials like wood, hair, tea bags or taxidermy. Whatever the medium, I try to insert the odd and unexpected.
06When do you feel the most creative?
I'm a morning person.
07Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
Research. I'm a very curious person and love learning. I also spend a lot of time making and refining because I enjoy it but more importantly because I was born with the curse of perfectionism.
08What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
Playful and often uncomfortable.
09What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
It's always exciting to see a design go from a sketch to a finished product. I feel proud.
10What makes a design successful?
It should embody and inspire creativity, playfulness, empathy, goodness and guts.
11When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
Does it challenge perceptions? Does it stimulate the imagination? Does it inspire playfulness?
12From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
Be a good human being, designer or not.
13Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?
I'm interested in what children do when no one's watching. I stay inspired by constantly learning and taking in as many new experiences as possible, outside of design.
14How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?
During my early education, all my designs were termed as ‘cute’. This led me to question the very attribute and break out of it through experimentation with the unconventional. A recurring theme in her work is the uncanny. My work is a push and pull between the cute and not cute.
15Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?
Although I currently live on the Gold Coast, Australia, I've grown up in India and lived in the United States, Sweden, Italy, and the Netherlands. I've travelled a fair bit and have had unique life experiences, including being a Bollywood child actor and marrying a tree. All my experiences influence me in some way or the other, irrespective of where I live.
16What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?
1. Work with people that share the same core values as you but constantly challenge you.
2. Trust them.
3. Pay them.
17Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?
Don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. Try to take in as many new experiences as possible, outside of design. Don't be a dick.
18What is your "golden rule" in design?
It's better to be odd than boring.
19What skills are most important for a designer?
Curiosity, empathy, playfulness and guts
20Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
I repeatedly tell myself "It doesn't need to be perfect, it needs to be tomorrow!"
21What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?
You're a children's designer, why don't you have children?
22What was your most important job experience?
After working at an ad agency, I was sure I never wanted to go back to doing advertising. It is not only important to figure out what you like to do but also what you don't like to do.
23What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?
The ones that give me full freedom within tight parameters and the ones where I learn something new.
A' Design Award គឺជាពានរង្វាន់រចនាល្អអន្តរជាតិដែលវាយតម្លៃដោយគណៈកម្មការ។ ចូលរួមក្នុង A' Design Award ដើម្បីទទួលបានឱកាសក្នុងការទទួលស្គាល់ដោយគុណសម្បត្តិ ទទួលបានកិត្តិនាម កិត្តិយស និងការផ្សព្វផ្សាយសម្រាប់ការងាររបស់អ្នក។ ដាក់ស្នាដៃរបស់អ្នកសម្រាប់ A' Design Award ហើយប្រកួតប្រជែងដើម្បីឈ្នះ A' Design Prize ដ៏គោរពរាប់អាន។
