How do you say Shenkar pride in Japanese? Yoav Ziv, head of the Department of Industrial Design, and Nadav Goldenberg, who graduated from the department, won a unique award in an international competition for toy design as part of the Japanese design biennale KOBE.

Roll Peg. Designed by Yoav Ziv (photo: PR)

The prestigious competition focused on innovation, imagination, creativity and an emphasis on "open" toys that have multiple interpretations and ways of use, and finally, they are built from natural materials such as wood, paper, fabrics and acrylic. 

Out of 14 projects that made it to the final round, 12 were by Japanese designers and the other 2 were by Ziv and Goldenberg. 

Toy Racer. Inspired by a 1931 Bugatti. Designed by Nadav Goldenberg (photo: PR)

Ziv’s winning toy, Roll Peg, is a wooden modular assembly system based on Clothespins with wheels.

Goldenberg’s race car was inspired by a 1931 Bugatti model and consists of detachable parts in various colors. The project was created in 2013, as part of a toy design course in the Department of Industrial Design. 

Imaging: Yoav Ziv’s modular toys that have won the competition in Japan (photo: PR)

Goldenberg attended and proudly represented Shenkar at the festive ceremony in the city of Kobe, which hosted the Biennale for the 5th time.

Top of page: Goldenberg’s race car in a test drive at the Japan Biennale (photo: PR)