It all began with a book—Not A Box by Antoinette Portis—which became the underlying story of this incredible kids experience centre by 1405 Design Studio. Their aim was to create an ever transforming space for kids and adults alike to play, create, observe, dream, explore, interact with one another.
Ironically, the space assigned to them was a box! Read about how the studio transformed it into an adrenaline rush promising obstacle course, a monochrome cafe and the canvas hall filled with sliding, 360 degree rotatable panels that can change the layout of the room everyday:
Some of the panels are magnetic, and have coloured blocks clinging to them. Others have puzzles and body pegs. Yet more are simply black or white boards: giant canvasses waiting to be filled; all left to ones imagination. The canvas hall transforms itself into an art class session, theatre stage, a story telling night or simply an unending maze full of activities in every corner.
The obstacle course is our interpretation of activities that we long for in the outdoors. A simple composition of basic shapes (circle, triangle, square) in primary colours, the course invites us all to relive our childhood fantasies—jump on the blocks, swing from the ropes, hop under the tyres, crawl into the tunnel, slide on zip line, climb on the pole and all sorts of other monkey business. There is a sense of rusticity and adventure to the space, where
falling and getting up is a part of playing.
The cafe is a monochromatic backdrop which caters to the much-needed snack requirements as well as events such as dress-up and board game sessions, while also being a full time library and play area. The backdrop is designed as a peg wall which, like all the other elements in the space, keeps transforming based on requirement.
‘Not A Box’ was as much of an experience for us as we hope it will be for the users. Throughout the process we dreamt and relived all our childhood fantasies, creating a space that is transformable to cater to a child’s unbounded imagination, using indigenous materials that were locally crafted with the utmost care and precision.
