Kwe
Wooden Toy
Kwe, is a playful take on the Asian traditional pastry - Kueh. The set of 24 wooden blocks is perfect for children aged 1-3 years old, as they explore and imagine through simple actions like stacking and building.
Each of the 8 distinctively different blocks in Kwe is stylistically inspired by types of popular Kueh originating from the Malay, Nyonya and Chinese culture.
Seamless affordance of interaction between each block can be discovered through exploration during play, to create endless configurations and act as food for a child’s imagination.
As it triggers fond memories for those familiar with Kueh, Kwe become a powerful tool to tell stories of our vibrant heritage, and the past. Through play, children can now have the chance to forge unique relationships with these big players of Singapore’s food heritage to keep its legacy going.
Thoughts:
This was an extremely enriching process, from the tricky exercise in establishing the Kueh language to prototyping with unfamiliar techniques. I was inspired by my sentiments towards Kueh: its non-foodlike appearance and representation of traditional food craft, of which is often associated with a familiar feeling of warmth from our childhood, was something i challenged myself to provide through toys. It was also during this process that I struggled with doubt; of my abilities, my project direction and my purpose as a designer. But it had at the same time allowed me to develop a clearer understanding of my working style, strengths and weaknesses, and believe that it would remain a significant point in my journey as an industrial design student.
Special thanks to:
Prof. Christophe Gaubert and Poh Yunru,
for their guidance and generosity throughout
