Tomm Velthuis

CumLaude

Prizes: Connect Ring

Department: Man and Communication
Website: www.bytomm.com

Meccano 2.0

In Meccano 2.0, Tomm Velthuis has ingeniously reinvented the concept of this century-old toy construction system. He contorted the sheet-metal parts into impossible shapes, retained the familiar drilled-hole pattern and painted them with bright primary colours. Unlike conventional Meccano pieces, there is no preconceived form, or instant reward. The shapes are intentionally impractical, unorthodox, and ill-fitting. Inviting the creation of an infinite number of objects, the shapes act as tools to unlock the imagination. The project as a whole can be read as a commentary on outmoded ways of dealing with problems. It's a prompt to think outside the redefined box.