Press Release
Golden A' Design Award in Toys, Games and Hobby Products Design Goes to Makedo Cardboard Construction System by Paul Justin
Paul Justin recognized for toys, games and hobby products design by the international grand jury of the 2018 - 2019 A' Design Award & Competition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COMO, Italy, April 25, 2019 /DesignNewswire/ Makedo Cardboard Construction System by Paul Justin, designed for Makedo, has been granted the Golden A' Design Award in the Toys, Games and Hobby Products Design category, A' Design Award & Competition has announced. The result belongs to the 2018 - 2019 A' Design Award & Competition and was determined through blind peer review by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members, who assessed anonymized entries against predetermined criteria.
About the Golden A' Design Award
The Gold A' Design Award is granted to designs that demonstrate a high level of innovation and a significant impact on their intended audience. Recognized as a major achievement by the A' Design Awards, these designs are characterized by their visionary approach and the exceptional skill of their creators. Winners of the Gold A' Design Award are noted for their ability to push the envelope in art, science, design, and technology, delivering solutions that not only meet but exceed expectations. These designs serve as benchmarks for excellence, encouraging further innovation and inspiring future generations of designers.
About Makedo Cardboard Construction System
Makedo is an open-ended system of tools for creative cardboard construction. The Makedo system is made up of seven elements that allow cardboard to be sawn, folded and connected without sharp edges. Screws and screwdrivers join up to six layers of corrugated cardboard, while a fold roller perforates lines for shaping. The tools are moulded from polypropylene, ABS and steel, and are sold as single tools, home kits or classroom kits. Creations can range from small handheld objects to large group builds. Makedo is intended to help children repurpose everyday cardboard through play.
Award Record
This recognition makes Paul Justin a winner of 2 A' Design Awards. The awards were granted between the 2016 - 2017 and the 2018 - 2019 editions of the A' Design Award & Competition.
About the A' Toys, Games and Hobby Products Design Award
The A' Toy Design Award is an international toy design competition recognizing good toy designs by best toy designers, manufacturers and brands worldwide. It is organized within the A' Design Award & Competition and is open to toy designers, game studios, industrial designers and hobby product manufacturers from all countries. Typical entries include dolls, action figures, board games, puzzles, plush toys and educational toys. The awarded toy designs are published at https://dezigners.org/design-category/toy
About A' Design Award & Competition
Organized annually since 2008, A' Design Award & Competition is an international, juried design accolade. The competition is open to entries from all countries. The philanthropic mission of the A' Design Award is to advance society through good design, by recognizing and promoting superior products, projects and services that benefit society, and by creating a global awareness and appreciation for good design practices and principles. Nominations are peer reviewed and evaluated anonymously by an international grand jury panel of established academics, design professionals and press members against predetermined criteria such as functionality, ergonomics, engineering, presentation, innovation, usability, sustainability and technology, with score normalization applied to remove biases. Awards are conferred at Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron levels. Eligible laureates receive the A' Design Prize, which includes the award trophy, the certificate of design excellence, the hardcover yearbook, a lifetime license to use the A' Design Award winner logo, exhibition of awarded works, an invitation to the gala night and award ceremony in Italy, inclusion in the World Design Rankings and Designer Rankings, and public relations and publicity services. Registration, uploading a work and receiving a preliminary score are free of charge, and Professional and Digital Edition laureates are not contractually obliged to pay further fees to claim the A' Design Prize. More information is available at https://competition.adesignaward.com
Press Resources
- Winner Page: https://dezigners.org/84591
- A' Design Award Page: https://competition.adesignaward.com/84591
- Media Showcase: https://www.designnewsroom.com/!84591
- Laureate Profile: https://dezigners.org/d/184558
- Further Information from the Laureate: http://www.make.do
Media Contact
Giulia Ferrari, Press Office
Designers.Org
Via Leone Leoni 32, 22100 Como, Italy
press@designers.org
+39 031 4491953
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Fact Sheet
The Work
- Project
- Makedo Cardboard Construction System
- Function
- Cardboard Construction System
- Category
- Toys, Games and Hobby Products Design
- Discipline
- Industrial Design
- Industry
- Kids
- Colors
- Goldenrod, Gold, Silver, Khaki and Dark Khaki
- Images
- 5
- Client
- Makedo
The Recognition
- Laureate
- Paul Justin
- Country
- Australia
- Recognition
- Golden A' Design Award
- Edition
- 2018 - 2019
- Design ID
- #84591
Credits
- Team
- Guy Blashki, Elio Icaza-Milson, Duncan Murray, Larissa Morkous and Felicia Pardede
- Image Credits
- Photographer Mark Lobo, 2019; Illustrator Bill Hope, 2018
Design Details
- Unique Properties
- Makedo is a simple to use, open-ended system of tools for creative cardboard construction. Makedo enables children to see value in everyday cardboard and to independently repurpose it into imaginative, playful and useful creations, all the while fostering the critical thinking skills of tomorrow’s problem solvers. Makedo comes to life in collaborative, creative environments such as classrooms, maker-spaces, libraries, museums and homes.
- Inspiration
- Children are endlessly imaginative. Ever eager to make indescribable thingamajigs for play, Paul Justin (PJ) sought to develop an open-ended construction system simple enough to enable his children (and many others) to independently create worlds of their own imagining. PJ's ‘aha moment’ was found in cardboard; a universally available, free and unlimited building block. Combined with the development of intuitive, reusable tools for crafting and connecting cardboard, Makedo was born.
- Research
- Research methodology included; documentation and discussion of our own observations and experience using Makedo, customer feedback, extensive prototyping (over 300 3D-printed/laser-cut models), user testing and multiple factory visits to discuss materials and manufacturing process. Primary insight was a need to extend system capability as older makers were finding the SAFE-SAW too crude for refined projects whilst younger makers were becoming increasingly adept at using Makedo.
- Challenge
- As an own brand, there is a continual subconscious process of product development. Our ongoing objective is to apply Dieter Rams’ 10 Principles of Good Design. Our primary endeavour with Makedo 3.0 was to consolidate the design language of the Makedo system (four new tools which utilise a single handle design), extend overall capability for older makers 7+ without compromising safety (3+ safe metal blades), and reducing the use of plastics in our packaging (achieved 80/100%, sku dependent).
- Realization and Technology
- The Makedo system is manufactured primarily by injection moulding. SCRUs: PP. Tools: ABS. Blades: PA66 or SS#420. As our primary market is in education, we were highly cognisant of ensuring we maintained our position of affordability for newly introduced parts and kits. Consolidated design and material selection were key to achieving this. In addition, we offer a free library of printable part files which can be 3D printed to enhance, accessorise and hack the making process.
- Operation and Interaction
- The Makedo system is comprised of seven unique elements. SCRU: connects up to three layers of corrugated cardboard. SCRU XL: connects up to six layers of corrugated cardboard. SCRU-DRIVER: connect cardboard as simply as righty tighty, lefty loosey. SAFE-SAW JNR.: flexible plastic blade to saw cardboard, not fingers. SAFE-SAW: steel blade with no sharp edges to swiftly saw cardboard. FOLD-ROLLER: perforate lines to sculpt cardboard like a pro. MINI-TOOL: for parallel and cooperative making.
- Project Duration and Location
- The project started in March 2017 in Melbourne, and was introduced to trade in January 2019.
- Specifications
- Makedo kits are available in varying quantities. From individual tools to home kits to classroom kits. Discover - 126 pieces (320 mm x 240 mm x 45 mm) Creations made with Makedo can be any size depending on the cardboard supply and capability of the maker/s. From one person holding a small creation in their hand up to hundreds of people collaborating to build a football field sized maze, anything is possible.
- Keywords
- education, play, stem, steam, cardboard, toy, imagination, diy
