Industrial Design
Product Development:
Product Development:
Folding Castle Playset for
ImagiPlay Toys, Boulder,
Colorado c. 2007 (at left).
ImagiPlay Toys hired me to design
a series of toys for young children
- ages 2 through 4. The series
consisted of three playsets: A
Medieval-style castle (at right), a
farm playset, and a Noah-style ark.
The farm and castle had to fold
and lock together, possess a
carrying handle, and close
completely with no openings in
order to hold loose play pieces
inside.
What came to my mind at once
was the old Fisher Price series,
which included a farm playset (the
one that emanated a sickly "Moo"
when shut). As quickly I decided
to design something as far from
that example as possible.
The colored drawing at left shows
that I hid the break line between
each half of the playset within the
design itself, and most
components served two purposes:
The carrying handle became a
bridge over the 'moat,' the door
became part of the castle floor, etc.
ImagiPlay toy sets prior to my
involvement with the company
were entirely painted rubber wood,
but I suggested a new look that
retained much unpainted wood -
as the wood itself was very
attractive and immediately set
ImagiPlay products apart from sets
made of plastic.
After approval of each design, I
was also responsible for building
the Toy Fair models and the
tooling samples for shipment to
Vietnam for manufacture.
Folding Farm House Playset
'Noah's Ark' Playset
ImagiPlay Toys, Boulder,
Colorado c. 2007 (at left).
ImagiPlay Toys hired me to design
a series of toys for young children
- ages 2 through 4. The series
consisted of three playsets: A
Medieval-style castle (at right), a
farm playset, and a Noah-style ark.
The farm and castle had to fold
and lock together, possess a
carrying handle, and close
completely with no openings in
order to hold loose play pieces
inside.
What came to my mind at once
was the old Fisher Price series,
which included a farm playset (the
one that emanated a sickly "Moo"
when shut). As quickly I decided
to design something as far from
that example as possible.
The colored drawing at left shows
that I hid the break line between
each half of the playset within the
design itself, and most
components served two purposes:
The carrying handle became a
bridge over the 'moat,' the door
became part of the castle floor, etc.
ImagiPlay toy sets prior to my
involvement with the company
were entirely painted rubber wood,
but I suggested a new look that
retained much unpainted wood -
as the wood itself was very
attractive and immediately set
ImagiPlay products apart from sets
made of plastic.
After approval of each design, I
was also responsible for building
the Toy Fair models and the
tooling samples for shipment to
Vietnam for manufacture.
Folding Farm House Playset
'Noah's Ark' Playset
Product Design for Mattel:
While working in Los Angeles, California I did a great deal of work for Mattel, the world's largest toy company, out of El Segundo. The vast majority of my work was
conducted with such strict confidentiality agreements that I was seldom ever able to document any of the projects in photographs. I was, nevertheless,
responsible for both the design and model construction of many large projects for both Barbie 'My Scenes' and Hot Wheels lines - including the popular
"Crashzilla" electronic Hot Wheels set.
While working in Los Angeles, California I did a great deal of work for Mattel, the world's largest toy company, out of El Segundo. The vast majority of my work was
conducted with such strict confidentiality agreements that I was seldom ever able to document any of the projects in photographs. I was, nevertheless,
responsible for both the design and model construction of many large projects for both Barbie 'My Scenes' and Hot Wheels lines - including the popular
"Crashzilla" electronic Hot Wheels set.
I was given the
responsibility to design
three bicycles for Barbie's
'My Scene' line of doll
toys for older girls: two
single bikes and one
'double' bike (end result,
at right).
Mattel provided me with
several pages of
reference material;
photos of existing
bicycles that my design
might emulate, but in the
case of the tandem bike I
designed something
completely new.
Only the tandem bike
went into production, but
it was flattering to have
my design carried over
without modification
(except for a brace at the
bottom - for strength's
sake).
The Barbie bikes for
Mattel were my first toy
design projects.
responsibility to design
three bicycles for Barbie's
'My Scene' line of doll
toys for older girls: two
single bikes and one
'double' bike (end result,
at right).
Mattel provided me with
several pages of
reference material;
photos of existing
bicycles that my design
might emulate, but in the
case of the tandem bike I
designed something
completely new.
Only the tandem bike
went into production, but
it was flattering to have
my design carried over
without modification
(except for a brace at the
bottom - for strength's
sake).
The Barbie bikes for
Mattel were my first toy
design projects.
Crashzilla! for Mattel's Hot Wheels
This project began life as a Hot Wheels toy rendition of the Robosaurus monster truck vehicle that was then touring the United States, and my first design prototype
thus emulated Robosaurus almost exactly. But, as often happens, Mattel failed to procure the proper licensing. I was then tasked by the company to design and
build to my heart's content; a 'cool' Robosaurus-like Hot Wheels car-crushing monster machine!
The end result (below) proved to be an extremely complex mechanical and electronic exercise in engineering - in addition to the cosmetic design challenge. A
spring-loaded launcher fired a toy truck at the monster (later named "Crashzilla"), which moved its arms constantly to block the truck and protect its vulnerable
chest plate. If the truck hit that plate, however, the Crashzilla would fall forward, scream, and its head would fly off. Of course all of this had to be worked out and
tested - all the while keeping reliability and Mattel's price point in mind.
Crashzilla was one of the most challenging product design and engineering challenges of my career - and it was Mattel's best selling Hot Wheels toy playset of all
time!
This project began life as a Hot Wheels toy rendition of the Robosaurus monster truck vehicle that was then touring the United States, and my first design prototype
thus emulated Robosaurus almost exactly. But, as often happens, Mattel failed to procure the proper licensing. I was then tasked by the company to design and
build to my heart's content; a 'cool' Robosaurus-like Hot Wheels car-crushing monster machine!
The end result (below) proved to be an extremely complex mechanical and electronic exercise in engineering - in addition to the cosmetic design challenge. A
spring-loaded launcher fired a toy truck at the monster (later named "Crashzilla"), which moved its arms constantly to block the truck and protect its vulnerable
chest plate. If the truck hit that plate, however, the Crashzilla would fall forward, scream, and its head would fly off. Of course all of this had to be worked out and
tested - all the while keeping reliability and Mattel's price point in mind.
Crashzilla was one of the most challenging product design and engineering challenges of my career - and it was Mattel's best selling Hot Wheels toy playset of all
time!
(Above) Working prototype of "Crashzilla" for Mattel's Hot Wheels.
(Below) Production "Crashzilla"
(Below) Production "Crashzilla"
