Meta Zen Tactiel Meditatie Speelset by Yumeng Li

Meta Zen Tactiel Meditatie Speelset by Yumeng Li is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2024 A' Design Award in IJzer in Speelgoed-, Spellen- en Hobbyproductontwerp Competition Category.

IJzerSpeelgoed· 2024

Meta Zen Tactiel Meditatie Speelset

by Yumeng Li

Client: Pear and Mulberry

A' Design Award in IJzer Winner in Speelgoed Category

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Verified Award Winner
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Colors

The Design

About Meta Zen Tactiel Meditatie Speelset

Meta Zen is een meditatie speelset voor volwassenen waarmee samen interieurdecoratie kan worden gecreëerd. Met minimalistische vormen en gebruikmakend van de algemeen erkende Zen-esthetiek in combinatie met parametrisch ontwerp, completeren de modules het dynamische zandpatroon, van driedelig tafelobject tot volledige gevelversiering, en wordt binnen enkele minuten een Zen-sfeer gecreëerd. Modulaire panelen bevatten ingebedde magneten die precieze uitlijning tijdens het bouwen vergemakkelijken, wat toegankelijk is voor mensen met een visuele beperking, ouderen en gebruikers met handtrillingen. Het gepatenteerde modulaire systeem is verfijnd met een rijke textuur en organisch gekleurd van volledig biologisch afbreekbaar materiaal.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award in IJzer

Meta Zen Tactiel Meditatie Speelset is winnaar van de A' Design Award in IJzer, een prestigieuze erkenning die wordt toegekend aan goede ontwerpen die voldoen aan de professionele en industriële eisen die worden verwacht van goed ontworpen creaties. Winnaars in IJzer tonen grote vaardigheid, hoge specialisatie, deskundig inzicht en het creatieve vermogen van hun makers. Meta Zen Tactiel Meditatie Speelset wordt verwacht een hooggewaardeerde, bewonderde en gekoesterde creatie te zijn die praktisch en innovatief is. Dit ontwerp dat de A' Design Award in IJzer heeft gewonnen, integreert de beste praktijken uit de sector en heeft bekwame technische kenmerken die verbonden zijn met knowhow en talent. Meta Zen Tactiel Meditatie Speelset wordt gerespecteerd om zijn grondigheid en is ontworpen om verbeteringen van de levenskwaliteit te bieden die helpen de wereld een betere plek te maken.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties: Meta.Zen is a poetic playset for adults and transformable interior decor designed for community spaces or temporary settings.

Minimalism in forms, the modules complete the dynamic sand pattern organically at any scale and complexity, from a three-piece table object to a whole facade decoration, deploying a Zen atmosphere in minutes.

Modular panels embed magnets to ease precise alignment efforts in building, which is friendly to visually impaired people, elders, and users with hand tremors.
Dimensions & Packaging: Product Dimensions: Width 640 mm x Depth 380 mm x Height 105 mm /
Recommended Age: 5+ Recommended number of players: 1-4 /
Kit includes:
323 * MetaZen Modules,
1 * Pavilions,
4 * Trees,
2 * Lanterns,
1 * Stacked stones.
Tags: decorative, magnetic, puzzle, zen, zen garden, configurable modules, mental therapy, haptic
Production Technology: All modules are reconfigurable to eliminate any redundant purchases for building differently to improve sustainability. All mass-producible parts are made from fully biodegradable PLA. Only natural fibers including bamboo and algae are added to tune natural color and texture.
The patented ridges and valleys geometrically express zen with a hygienic and handy setup forming ever-changing puzzle patterns that improve accessibility and replayability.
Design Challenge: The core challenge was serving two audiences: offering a non-screen anxiety relief for individuals in quarantine and ensuring hotels, even as temporary isolation spaces, offering humane care through natural visuals and a universal zen cultural experience.

Another critical difficulty was ensuring the project allowed for easy reconfiguration by subsequent users over time, with potential future use as a playset for group activities and as an indoor installation adaptable to various scenarios.
Research: Research shows tactile activities reduce quarantine anxiety, digital fatigue, and physical interaction scarcity. Employing widely recognized Zen aesthetics and computational tools, we crafted a modular system based on Taoist principles. With just three angles, it enables infinite Zen landscapes, combining geometric innovation and tactile inclusivity. This approach facilitates easy, unique Zen space creation for meditation, requiring no sand or expertise, prioritizing ease and hygiene.
Inspiration: Zen, is globally acknowledged for cultivating inner peace through performing activities.

Artistic forms follow the aesthetic principles of Zen including simplicity; subtly profound grace, and tranquility.

Aligned with Daoism, one single base module demonstrates a sense of flow; the assembled mysterious patterns reflect the worldview of Buddhism.

It conveys the wisdom of simplexity: Identical base modules can be rearranged into millions of combinations, forming the system in play that manifests wabi-sabi both aesthetically and functionally.
Project Duration: Launched in December 2021 and completed in July 2022, this project was initially developed during the pandemic for adults living in collective quarantine settings. It aimed to reduce the anxiety of remote working individuals.
This project won European Product Design Award, and International Design Awards in 2022, and was selected as finalists in Product and User Experience categories of iF Design Award in 2023. It was featured on Yanko Design in January and Puxiang Design in February 2023.
Operation Flow: Zen Culture: Facilitates self-meditation and stress relief for adults, promoting inner balance through playful interaction.

Inclusive: Features guided magnetic assembly and tactile patterns, offering a multisensory, accessible experience.

Community & Sustainability: This art form's flexibility encourages communal creativity and sustainable decor changes, supporting social meditation and Wabi-Sabi appreciation. Its durable design allows for versatile display, embodying both reusability and aesthetic adaptability.
Patents: Patented. 63/404,074. PEAR & MULBERRY. 2022. USPTO.
Copyrights belong to Yumeng Li.