I do not have children, but I have always liked toys, especially those made with natural materials and a simple idea that leaves room for imagination.
Machi, by the Japanese brand Kukkia, is a minimalist wooden toy that turns city-building into open-ended play. Its smooth shapes, bright colors and tactile pieces are designed to stimulate children visually while giving them freedom to invent their own town.
Each set includes small wooden pieces that children can arrange on two magnetic base plates to create, change and reinvent a miniature city. The original version includes buildings, traffic lights, a car and landscape elements. There are also city editions inspired by London and Paris.
The London version includes Big Ben, the British Museum, the London Eye, a double-decker bus and a black cab. The Paris version includes the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and a miniature metro system.
It is a lovely toy for future architects, designers and city dreamers.
Anna Lohan
Peter Dark
