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A Kids Space Designed for the Re-Imagination of Drawing Tools

08.21.14 | By
A Kids Space Designed for the Re-Imagination of Drawing Tools

Mathery Studio was tapped to design a space for children that “focused on transforming perception surrounding the simple act of drawing.” The firm came up with Pastello – Draw Act, which is derived from the Italian word for ‘pastel’ or ‘crayon’, a dedicated environment that lends itself to the National Gallery of Victoria’s commitment to programs that involve design and children. The result is a colorful, interactive, and inspiring space for children to draw and color in quirky and unique ways outside their comfort zone.

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The team molded crayons, the principal material for the project, into really fun shapes, like a 9kg (almost 20lbs!) crayon sphere, and let the kids go wild during a 10-week exhibition/playground/installation.

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The space itself was lively and colorful with various stations for the children to express themselves.

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Instead of taking a normal crayon to a flat, horizontal coloring book, the kids had to jump in and get physical at times, like with helmets that have crayons embedded into them.

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Products’ still life photography by Mathery Studio.
Interior photography by Tobias Titz.

Caroline Williamson is Editor-in-Chief of Design Milk. She has a BFA in photography from SCAD and can usually be found searching for vintage wares, doing New York Times crossword puzzles in pen, or reworking playlists on Spotify.