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Polygons Primary Function: Ikiyiko cyo Gupima by Rahul Agarwal

Polygons Primary Function: Ikiyiko cyo Gupima by Rahul Agarwal is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Buronze in Ibikoresho by'Igikoni Competition Category.


BuronzeIbikoresho by'Igikoni· 2026

Polygons Primary Function: Ikiyiko cyo Gupima

by Rahul Agarwal

Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Buronze Winner in Ibikoresho by'Igikoni Category

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The Design

About Polygons Primary Function: Ikiyiko cyo Gupima

Book Text: Polygons yongera gushushanya ikiyiko cyo gupima nk'igikoresho giseze giheruka kubona ubunini gusa igihe bikenewe. Ibipimo byuzuye bitandatu byegeranyirijwe mu mpapuro ebyiri zoroshye. Ubunini bugenwa n'aho gifashwe, hanyuma amagineti ayobora kandi akomeza imiterere. Nyuma yo gukoreshwa, gisubira mu miterere iseze kugira ngo cyoroherwe guhanagurwa no gukwirakwiza mu buryo bugabanya imyanda y'ibiryo, kandi kibikwa hakoreshejwe amagineti kuri firigo. Guhindura amahame ya origami kikaba igicuruzwa gishobora koga kandi gitekanye ku biryo byasabye ubuhanga bushya bwo kubaka imiterere kugira ngo hemezwe ubudakomeka burenga ihinda 100.000 mu gihe hagabanywa ikoreshwa ry'ibikoresho, umwanya wo kubika, n'imyanda yo gutwara.

The Recognition

About the Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Buronze

Polygons Primary Function: Ikiyiko cyo Gupima ni uwegukanye Igihembo cya A' Design Award cya Buronze, ishimwe ry'agaciro gakomeye ritangwa ku bishushanyo by'indashyikirwa birangwa no guhanga, ubwenge n'ubushishozi. Abegukanye Buronze ni ibihangano bifite ubuhanga bwinshi kandi bihanga cyane, bishimangira uburambe, ubwenge n'ubushobozi bw'ababihanze. Polygons Primary Function: Ikiyiko cyo Gupima biteganyijwe ko izaba ikintu cyubahwa, gishimwa kandi gikundwa, gifite ubunyamwuga n'udushya. Iki gishushanyo cyegukanye Buronze gikoresha uburyo bwiza mu buhanzi, ubumenyi, ubushushanyo n'ikoranabuhanga kandi kirarenze mu gutaha ku tuntu duto. Polygons Primary Function: Ikiyiko cyo Gupima ishimisha ibyo dukeneye, ikora ku byifuzo byacu, itwara amarangamutima yacu kandi ikurura amatsiko yacu.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties
After 3000 years, the spoon is reconsidered through patented origami engineering. Polygons compresses a complete measuring set into a 0.1 inch sheet that forms six calibrated volumes - 0.5, 1, and 2 Tbsp on the large sheet, and 0.25, 0.5, and 1 tsp on the small; wipes clean, and magnetically sticks to the refrigerator. Engineered for over 100,000 bend cycles and up to 80 percent lower material and freight waste, it unites precision, durability, aesthetics, and sustainability in a single design.
Dimensions & Packaging
CAPACITY
Large spoon: 0.5 Tbsp, 1 Tbsp, 2 Tbsp
Small spoon: 0.25 tsp, 0.5 tsp, 1 tsp

MATERIALS
Food grade thermoplastic, food grade hydrophobic silicone, embedded neodymium magnets

DIMENSIONS
Large spoon: 180 x 54 x 2.8 mm
Small spoon: 108 x 30.3 x 2.8 mm

WEIGHT
Large spoon: 31.5 g
Small spoon: 12 g
Tags
Folding measuring spoon, Fold flat measuring spoon, Origami measuring spoon set, Polygons measuring spoon, Polygons 3 in 1 spoon, Adjustable measuring spoon, Collapsible measuring spoon, Space saving measuring spoon, Magnetic flat measuring spoons, Patented measuring spoon
Production Technology
Polygons required three years of development and more than 1000 prototypes to translate origami geometry into a durable, washable kitchen tool. A multilayer construction combines food grade thermoplastic, silicone living hinges, and embedded rare earth magnets. Each hinge varies in thickness to control folding with tolerances near 0.1 mm, enabling precise volumes and durability beyond 100,000 cycles with no separate moving parts or assembly.
Design Challenge
The core challenge was translating paper origami into a durable consumer product. Unlike paper, the system had to withstand repeated washing, food contact, and more than 100000 folding cycles without fatigue. Achieving this required precise hinge engineering, magnet integration, and volumetric calibration within injection molded geometry. By consolidating six measurements into two inseparable components, Polygons shifts the category from incremental improvement to structural reinvention.
Research
Type of research: practice based industrial design research integrating materials engineering and user interaction.
Objective: replace bulky nested spoons with a planar system.

Methodology: iterative prototyping of crease maps and hinge systems.

Tools: CAD, 3D printing, mold trials, fatigue testing beyond 100,000 folds.

Participants: home & professional cooks and students.

Result: patented planar measuring tool.

Impact: less material, lower freight footprint, reduced food waste.
Inspiration
Polygons was inspired by the most ancient and universal measuring tool - the human hand. Long before utensils existed, the hand's instinctive ability to shift from flat to cupped allowed people to measure and transfer materials, such as cupping water from a stream, scooping grains from a sack, or portioning herbs and spices by feel. A flat hand transforms into a functional volume with a simple natural gesture.
Project Duration
The project's manufacturing R&D and refinement spanned 3 years across India and China. Extensive development focused on multi-layer live-hinge optimization, volumetric calibration, tooling precision, and large-scale manufacturing validation to make durable origami-based products commercially viable.

The product was officially launched to consumers in Q4 2024 and is currently in global distribution.
Operation Flow
Polygons rests flat on the fridge, in a drawer, or used as a bookmark inside your recipe book.
Intuitively, the position you pick it up from determines its volume - lift from a marked point and it folds into that exact measure, secured by the satisfying click of magnets.
After use, it opens flat to clean with just a wipe, reducing water and soap usage.
After scooping and flattening, it can also spread and scrape off viscous ingredients like honey, minimizing food waste.
Patents
Patented.
Patent No: US10175084B2
Patent Holder: Rahul Agarwal
Year: 2016
Jurisdiction: USA

Copyrights belong to Rahul Agarwal, 2025

Trademarks belong to Rahul Agarwal, 2025

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