100% ToBeUs: designer toy cars

Tuesday 11 December 2012

BarberOsgerby

Designers including Matali Crasset, Front, the Campana brothers, Alfredo Haberli and Marcel Wanders have created their own distinctive take on the wooden toy car for a new exhibition at Milan's National Museum of Science and Technology.

Called 100% TobeUs, the show is the brainchild of designer Matteo Ragni, who produced his first series of model cars back in 2007, and then invited 100 designers to design their favourite toy car, creating a highly original and varied new collection.


Fernando & Humberto Campana

The models have been produced by hand in Italy, with three examples in each design made by a skilled craftsman using fragrant Lebanon cedar wood.

Marcel Wanders

The project aims to appeal to creative children and informed adults alike, who believe objects of affection should be important, long-lasting and supportive of a more sustainable future - a design philosophy that Italian design house Alessi has decided to support and make its own.
Lanzavecchia + Wai

“When Matteo Ragni described his project to me, not only did I share his vision, I also immediately recognised that special transgressive component with which Italian quality design is synonymous - the ability to contravene the system of rules which industry has to abide by," says Alberto Alessi.

"The outcome is a kind of manifesto: critical of the somewhat distorted model adopted by our consumer society, and proactive in suggesting one possible way in which it may virtuously evolve."
Alfredo Häberli

100%ToBeUs runs until 13 January 2013.
Front
Jaime Hayon

Matali Crasset