Gumbek Ohun-ìṣeré Ẹ̀kọ́ by Lea Vavra is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2024 Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award in Àpẹẹrẹ Ohun-ìṣeré, Eré àti Ohun Àfẹ́ṣeré Competition Category.

IdẹOhun-ìṣeré· 2024

Gumbek Ohun-ìṣeré Ẹ̀kọ́

by Lea Vavra

Client: Kistra

Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award Winner in Ohun-ìṣeré Category

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The Design

About Gumbek Ohun-ìṣeré Ẹ̀kọ́

Gumbek jẹ́ ohun-ìṣeré onírun tí ó ń kọ́ni tí ó ń ru ìmọ̀-ẹ̀dá sókè tí ó sì ń ṣe ìwúrí ìdàgbàsókè agbára ìṣiṣẹ́ ọwọ́ kékèké nípa eré. Ohun-ìṣeré ẹ̀ka yìí wà ní àwọn apá, àwọn ọmọdé sì ní láti kó ohun-ìṣeré wọn jọ nípa sísopọ̀ àwọn apá náà papọ̀ láti lè ṣẹ̀dá odidi kan. Àwọn ẹ̀ka méje tí ó yàtọ̀ sí ara wọn wà; mẹ́ta nínú wọn tóbi àti mẹ́rin tí ó kéré. A so àwọn egé náà pọ̀ síra wọn nípa títọ́ àwọn bọ́tìnì náà kọjá inú ihò bọ́tìnì, èyí tí ó ń ràn lọ́wọ́ láti mú agbára ìṣiṣẹ́ ọwọ́ kékèké dára sí i. Bákan náà, ètò àwọn àpẹrẹ oríṣiríṣi ń ràn lọ́wọ́ láti mú ìmọ̀jínná àti ìmọ̀-ẹ̀dá dàgbà torí pé a lè kó ohun-ìṣeré náà jọ ní ọ̀nà oríṣiríṣi.

The Recognition

About the Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award

Gumbek Ohun-ìṣeré Ẹ̀kọ́ jẹ́ olùborí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award, ìdánimọ̀ olókìkí gan-an tí a fún àwọn àwòṣe tó tayọ tí wọ́n yàtọ̀ nípasẹ̀ ìṣẹ̀dá, àrékérekè àti ọgbọ́n inú. Àwọn olùborí Idẹ jẹ́ àwọn ohun èlò tó ní ìjáfáfá gan-an tí wọ́n sì ní ìṣẹ̀dá tó yani lẹ́nu tí wọ́n ń ṣe ẹ̀rí ìrírí gbígbòòrò, ìrònú àti ọgbọ́n àwọn olùṣàwòṣe wọn. A retí pé Gumbek Ohun-ìṣeré Ẹ̀kọ́ yóò jẹ́ ohun tí a kà sí gidigidi, tí a gbóríyìn fún tí a sì nífẹ̀ẹ́, tó jẹ́ ti ọ̀jáfáfá lọ́nà tó ṣe pàtàkì tó sì ní ìmúṣẹ̀dá tuntun. Àwòṣe tó borí Àmì-ẹ̀yẹ Idẹ A' Design Award yìí ń kó àwọn ọ̀nà tó dára jùlọ nínú iṣẹ́ ọnà, sáyẹ́ǹsì, àwòṣe àti ìmọ̀-ẹ̀rọ jọ, ó sì tayọ nítorí àfiyèsí rẹ̀ sí àwọn àlàyé kékeré. Gumbek Ohun-ìṣeré Ẹ̀kọ́ ń tẹ́ àwọn ohun tí a nílò lọ́rùn lọ́nà àgbàyanu, ó ń fọwọ́ kan àwọn ìfẹ́ inú, ó ń gbà ọkàn ó sì ń fa ìfẹ́ láti mọ̀ mọ́ra.

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.