In Cambodia, in the heart of Siem Reap, a participatory design project has transformed children’s drawings into real wooden chairs. The idea was born from designer Taekhan Yun, who chose to put not his own vision, but that of the little ones, at the center of the creative process. The result is a collection of colourful, irregular and surprising seats, capable of recounting childhood imagination without filters.
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A creative laboratory open to the little ones
The project, called Chair for Kids, was developed together with students from a local English school. It all started with a simple gesture: the children were asked to draw the chair of their dreams. No rigid rules, no models to follow. The sketches, often imperfect and spontaneous, have become the starting point for reflecting on form, balance and function, introducing design as a tool of expression and not as a technical exercise.
After the drawing phase, the children worked in pairs to measure height and body proportions. A fundamental step to understand the concept of ergonomics, intuitively adapted to their daily experience. Each chair has been designed to meet the physical needs of the individual child, strengthening the bond between the object and those who use it. In this way, the design became an extension of the body and not an abstract element.
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From drawings to three-dimensional prototypes
To translate the ideas into concrete forms, the children made clay prototypes. This material, chosen for its simplicity and accessibility, allowed us to freely experiment with volumes and structures. The three-dimensional models were then used by Taekhan Yun as a reference for the construction of the final chairs. The original shapes have been respected, maintaining inclined legs, unusual angles and playful proportions.
The final phase saw the children involved in decorating the chairs. With wax crayons, they colored the wood directly, transforming each piece into a personal object. The surfaces were subsequently sealed with acrylic paint and protected with a final layer of transparent, ensuring durability over time without losing spontaneity.
An educational and replicable project
In addition to its symbolic value, Chair for Kids demonstrates how design can also be accessible, replicable and low-cost. The chairs can be easily produced and adapted to other educational contexts, showing how shared creativity can become a tool for learning, inclusion and self-esteem.
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