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Gumbek Ciyaartoy Tacliimeed by Lea Vavra

Gumbek Ciyaartoy Tacliimeed by Lea Vavra is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2024 Abaalmarinta Naxaasta ah ee A' Design Award in Naqshadeynta Ciyaartoyda, Ciyaaraha iyo Alaabta Madadaalada Competition Category.


NaxaasCiyaartoy· 2024

Gumbek Ciyaartoy Tacliimeed

by Lea Vavra

Client: Kistra

Abaalmarinta Naxaasta ah ee A' Design Award Winner in Ciyaartoy Category

Colors

The Design

About Gumbek Ciyaartoy Tacliimeed

Gumbek waa ciyaartoy jilicsan oo tacliimeed ah oo kicinaya hal-abuuridda una dhiirrigeliya horumarinta xirfadaha dhaqdhaqaaqa yar-yar ee gacanta iyagoo loo marayo ciyaar. Ciyaartooygan wuxuu ku yimaadaa qaybyo, carruuruhuna waa inay isku duubaan ciyaartooygooda iyagoo isku xira qaybaha si ay u sameeyaan mid dhammaystiran. Waxaa jira toddoba qayb oo kala duwan; saddex kuwo waaweyn iyo afar kuwo yar-yar. Qaybaha waxaa laysku xidhaa iyagoo badhanku laga marinayo daloolada badhanka, taasoo ka caawisa hagaajinta xirfadaha dhaqdhaqaaqa taxadarka ah ee gacanta. Sidoo kale, isku habaynta qaababka kaladuwan ayaa horumarinaysa mala-awaalka iyo hal-abuuridda maadaama ciyaartooyga loo isku dari karo siyaabo kala duwan.

The Recognition

About the Abaalmarinta Naxaasta ah ee A' Design Award

Gumbek Ciyaartoy Tacliimeed waa guuleystaha Abaalmarinta Naxaasta ah ee A' Design Award, aqoonsi sharaf sare leh oo la siiyo naqshado aan caadi ahayn oo lagu garto hal-abuur, hal-abuur cusub iyo caqli. Guuleystayaasha Naxaasta waa shaqooyin xirfad buuxda leh iyo hal-abuur yaab leh oo xaqiijiya khibrad weyn, male-awaal iyo kartida naqshadeeyayaashooda. Gumbek Ciyaartoy Tacliimeed waa walax la filayo inay noqoto mid aad loo tixgeliyo, la ixtiraamo oo la jecel yahay, xirfad cad leh oo hal-abuur cusub leh. Naqshadahan ku guuleystay Abaalmarinta Naxaasta ah ee A' Design Award wuxuu ku darsadaa hab-dhaqanno ugu wanaagsan farshaxanka, sayniska, naqshadaynta iyo tignoolajiyada wuxuuna ku fiican yahay dhawrista tafaasiisha. Gumbek Ciyaartoy Tacliimeed si fiican ayay u buuxisaa baahiyaha, taabataa rabitaannada, soo jiidataa dareenka kicinayaanna xiisaha aqoonta.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

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

Unique Properties
Gumbeki are modular plush toys that stimulate creativity and enhance motor skills through play. Each toy consists of seven parts which children connect to each other by buttons in order to create a whole, which helps improve fine motor skills. The parts are made of colorful materials with different textures so they provide a good stimulus for the development of sensory integration. The arrangement of different shapes helps to develop imagination as the toy can be put together in lots of ways.
Dimensions & Packaging
SMALL SIZE GUMBEKI
17 x 17 x 15 cm, packaging approximately 20 x 20 x 20 cm
MEDIUM SIZE GUMBEKI
27 x 27 x 24 cm, packaging approximately 30 x 30 x 30 cm
LARGE SIZE GUMBEKI
36 x 36 x 33 cm, packaging approximately 40 x 40 x 40 cm
Tags
toy, soft toy, plush, didactic, educational, creative, children
Production Technology
I wanted to make a soft toy that kids could assemble themselves so I created a plushie that consists of several different parts that can be connected to each other with buttons. All of these parts are handmade. The fabric pieces are cut by hand, pinned together and sewn on a sewing machine. After that, they are turned over and stuffed. The hole left after stuffing is sewn shut by hand. The buttonholes are sewn on a sewing machine. The final step is to sew the buttons, which is also done by hand.
Design Challenge
I noticed a lack of emotional connection to toys in today's children, which is important for their development. Also, parents are increasingly giving kids activities on screens that can be harmful to children's physical development if used excessively. I wanted to create a soft toy that kids would connect to emotionally, but I also wanted them to learn an activity through play. Didactic toys are mostly made of hard materials, so it was a challenge creating a one with a soft tactile experience.
Research
Through the review of various literatures I researched the topics such as the history and different types of play, typology of toys, cultural differences, the impact and importance of playing for children's physical and emotional development etc. I also conducted two surveys on 200 parents about kids playing habits today and the importance of childhood toys. I found that children today have a large number of toys that often quickly bore them because they do not stimulate their development.
Inspiration
My grandmother, Ruzica Vavra, had one of the first toy productions and toy stores in Croatia. Her popular stuffed toys brought joy to many generations, but unfortunately the store was closed due to the arrival of global manufacturers on our market. I have always been inspired by that story, and after finishing my education at the Faculty of Architecture - School of Design, I decided to revive the family tradition from a designer's aspect, creating smart toys, stimulating for kids development.
Project Duration
The project started in 2016. in Zagreb, Croatia and finished in 2018. when it was put on the Croatian market and exhibited in numerous exhibits, festivals and fairs, such as Zagreb Design Week or Exhibition of Croatian design 1718.
Operation Flow
This modular toy comes in parts and kids have to assemble their own toy by connecting the parts to one another. There are seven different segments; three larger ones with buttons and buttonholes sew, and four smaller ones with just buttonholes. The pieces are attached together by threading the buttons through the buttonholes. There are lots of different ways of putting them together, but for those children who view the toy as a puzzle there is an assemby scheme for the way we imagined them.
Image Credits
Image #1 : Photographer Lea Vavra, Gumbeki, 2022.
Image #2 : Photographer Lea Vavra, Gumbek - warm, 2022.
Image #3 : Photographer Lea Vavra, Gumbek - cold, 2022.
Image #4 : Photographer Lea Vavra, Gumbek - earthy, 2022.
Image #5 : Photographer Lea Vavra, Gumbek assembly variations, 2022.

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