Play Time: The Industrial Design Department at Shenkar will host the 3rd international design symposium, focused on Toy Design, titled From Rags to Apps.

Some of the questions that had been addressed and debated during the symposium:

• A look back through history: How cultural and ideological diversity found expression in toy design?
• What is the alchemic process that leads to the creation of new toy concepts?
• How are the required skills of the 21st Century addressed in the design of contemporary educational toys?
• In the eco-systems of global trade, dominated by branding and commercial entertainment, is there a place for meaningful design ideas?
• How should Toy Design evolve in a world increasingly inundated by technology and information?

Participated in the confference:

• Peter Handstein: Founder & CEO of Hape Group with subsidiaries in China.
• Renate Menzi: Curator of the Design Collection at Museum für Gestaltung Schaudepot Zürich, Switzerland.
• גיל דרוקמן: Inventor and Managing Director at Toyly, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
• Prof. Gabriel Songel: Universitat Politècnica de València and founder of spinoff Innoarea Design Consulting, Valencia, Spain.
• Ms. Ilana Ben-Ari: Founder, CEO & Lead Designer Twenty One Toys, Toronto, Canada.
• Henrik Johansson: Design Director of Hape Group and Sweden, designer of many iconic IKEA products.
• Mark Carson: President & Co-Founder, Fat Brain Toys, Nebraska, USA.
• Taren Chan: 4M Industrial Development Limited, Hong Kong.
• Andres Garza: Design Manager at Spinmaster Toys, California, USA.