Leoleo Kids Multifunction Play Tower Multifunctional Kids Chair

Press Kit

Unique Properties

Leoleo is a hyper functional and playful piece of furniture designed for a small child's care, education, skills development and entertainment. It consists of parts that can be recombined in many ways, thus obtaining different functionalities. It can be an observation tower (learningtower), an activity desk, a slide/ramp, a blackboard, a rocking chair, a high chair with feeding table. Accessories can be added (activity boards, a wheel with handlebar, a kitchen). Leoleo saves space and material.

Dimensions & Packaging

98/40/40 in standing setup / tower setup, / baby chair setup
75/40/50 in rocking chair setup
98/70/40 in slide setup

Tags

multifunctional, learning tower, slide, kids, toddlers, activity desk, high chair,

Production Technology

I have used mainly 15mm thick Birch plywood, cut with CNC technology, laquered or painted. Design is created in Autocad. Some parts are hardwood.

Design Challenge

To create an object that is hyper-useful, but also aesthetic, safe, durable and relatively easy to produce. To limit its parts to only the essential by expanding its functions as much as possible.

Project Duration

The project started in January 2015 in Bucharest, Romania, and was exhibited in 2017 Romanian Design Award event, where it received recognition from Dezeen magazine.

Operation Flow

This object transforms by recombining its parts, re-assembling a finite number of parts. The user receives a number of plywood parts that are cut in such way that they can be assembled together in many ways. It requires a minimum innitial assembly to form a base structure. By adding or removing planks, wheels, boards, the base changes function. There is no need to use keys or any tools in the process.

Research

Research was done through observation, trials, feedback from users.

Systematic research was made for years, by continuously modifying and adding features, functions, improving functionality, safety and ergonomy. The product was tested in real life situations for each and every step of development.

This project is a challenge to accomplish more with less. Its philosophy originates from the following ideas:
- everything in nature is made of atoms. But there are so few atoms comparing to the diversity of material expression of nature. So, with only a few types of building bricks, you can build an entire world. Everything depends on the relationship between the component parts.

Similarly, every atom is made of a small number elementary particles. Atoms are so unique and different, but still they are made of the same few components.

I find this idea of building anything out of just a few parts fascinating, practical, and unifying. The parts themselves, you can change their role depending on the needs and the situation. So, no more unused objects, all its parts can be re-used! It is a recycling idea taken to another level, in my opinion.

Leoleo wants to have a minimal amount of parts, that, combined in different ways will get the user to very different results.
For the long term, Leoleo wants to become a system, an environment complex enough to start evolving on its own. This means that the users will start recombining Leoleo's parts in ways its creator never has imagined, and this process can go on and develop to infinity.

Inspiration

Leoleo was created by a father trying to solve the real problems that modern parenting faces:
- to provide inspiration for parents in setting diverse educational activities for kids
- to decrease the big number of physical objects needed for a limited period of time in order to entertain and educate a growing child
- to keep kids away from screens
- to make physical reality interesting again
- to provide context for adult-child interaction and connection

Image Credits

Catalin Nastase, Photographer
Cristtina Anculete, Photographer

Patents

Design registered with Euipo , RCD 007793625-0001 /06.04 2020, design holder Dan Popa

Colors of Leoleo Kids Multifunction Play Tower Multifunctional Kids Chair