nendo

Oki Sato, Chief Designer b. Toronto, Canada; lives and works in Tokyo, China; Studio founded 2002; Milan studio founded 2005

Coen Car, 2020

A car of the near future that plays with children: this is the tagline for the set of six mobile play units designed by nendo, each based on one of the basic motions of traditional recreational equipment. The company’s website recognizes the irony of the inviting forms as opposed to the ubiquitous plea, “Stay away from the car.” This particular unit, resembling a jazzy cup—think Disney’s Mad Tea Party ride—holds potential as a means to isolate children from each other while allowing them to interact.