We’re the scouring the design world for the season’s best gifts. Here are six super-cute toys for cool kids – including those young-at-heart ones.
1 Atelier Book Chair by Kana Nakanishi
Designed by Tokyo’s Kana Nakanishi for Oiseau, ABC is a portable drawing set that transforms into a stool. The easy-to-carry case made of hinoki, a thin Japanese wood, stores drawing tools and seat board. $499
2 i-Wood by Donkey Creative Lab
Bea Seggering’s I-Wood is an excellent eco-friendly alternative to the iPad. Instead of an operating system, battery and keyboard, the lightweight, 2.5-centimetre-thick gadget replaces the screen with a chalkboard and turns the trackpad into storage for chalk. $53
3 Creatures by Donna Wilson
Donna Wilson’s funky collection of odd-shaped plush dolls are made of coloured cotton and wool, and feature such characters as Puddle Man, Ginge Cat and Mitten Kitten. From $50
4 Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty
This charming book is a tale about Iggy Peck, a curious boy who uses unconventional materials to build his structures (think: a tower made of diapers and swooping arches constructed out of pancakes). Iggy’s big dream? To one day win the esteemed Pritzker Prize. $19
5 Robie House by Lego Architecture
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House is the most recent addition to the Lego Architecture series, with 2,270 pieces. With its dominating horizontal lines and open-concept floor plan, it’s the most renowned example of the American maestro’s Prairie Style. $200
6 Las Sillas by Ludus Ludi
This Jenga-like game from Spain allows players to stack, pile and position dozens of miniature interlocking chairs. The endless number of configuration options is mindboggling. $56
Pick up Azure‘s November/December 2011 issue, currently on newsstands, for more great holiday ideas.
