The brief was to design a piece of furniture for a child between one and six years old which could be manufactured from a single sheet of birch-faced plywood. The furniture was made by Windmill in London. The British Council Design Promotion department recommissioned this work for a touring exhibition.

The resulting collection, Childsply, represents the contemporary British Design scene in miniature. Robin Day's design, a chair with a curved seat and slotting frame, recalls his post-war bentwood furniture, innovative and challenging in its time, now classic. Several others encouraged multifunctional play - a see-saw seat by Inflate, a chair-and-steps by Michael Marriott, a light-and jigsaw by Andrew Stafford. Others answered adults needs by combining storage with entertainment - a toybox you can get into and explore by JAM, a fold-up workbench/table by the Azumi's, a locker you can customise by Sebastian Bergne.

The designers involved in Childsply have turned their memories of dreams, space, exploration and discovery into a fascinating range of solutions to twentytwentyone's tight design brief.  Childsply has toured to London, Berlin, Madrid, Taipei and Taichung City.

For further information please contact Alison Moloney.