INSPIRATION 4: MillerGoodman's Shapemaker

Zoe Miller and David Goodman are two designers who live and work in Brighton (UK). After producing a series of children's books for the Tate Gallery in London, in 2008 they founded their brand MillerGoodman. Miller and Goodman are interested in exploring the intersection between modern art and objects for children. They are driven by the art of play and encouraging imagination. Using the creative and often abstract world of the child as a basis for their designs, they developed a very distinctive and original graphic style. Their wooden toys have simple shapes and undefined forms and patterns that encourage and engage children to play again and again. Shapemaker, their first design, is a set of 25 colourful, geometric, hand printed and crafted, environmentally friendly hardwood blocks made of sustainable rubber wood. The blocks can be endlessly arranged to form all sorts of creatures, faces, animals and other surprising shapes. It is very admirable how MillerGoodman managed to change a simple (and familiar) type of puzzle into an exiting, adventurous and endless play which undoubtly not only spark the imagination of children but also that of the parents.