Curiosity Cart
Bow Arts & Lansbury Lawrence Primary School
- 4 design process workshops
- 1 build workshop
- Design and build of a custom play cart
September 2018 – March 2019
The Curiosity Cart is made from 35 layers of 12mm and 24mm spruce FSC plywood, CNC cut and hand glued and finished. Injections of colour include a panel feature inspired by the incredible Peggy Angus tiled mural that adorns the school’s entrance hall.
13 play elements have been built into the box, all centred on interacting with sound, touch and sight. Following co-design workshops with selected pupils from across key stage 1 and 2 at the school, play elements were taken from each child’s prototype and combined around a basic axle and caster frame to create the final design. A brass and timber xylophone, backed with brass sound horns rise up the left-hand wheel arch, while an abacus sits within the right-hand wheel arch. A curved mirror chamber detail to the front of the cart creates a distorted reflection of the user peering in, while a hidden compartment reveals a surprise message for the lucky finder.