Inner Child: Playing with Design

By exploring the limitless possibilities of artistic expression, Inner Child: Playing with Design is a groundbreaking design book that reminds us of the importance of remaining a kidult, bringing together more than 100 established and emerging creatives while offering an uplifting dose of hope for the future.

The inner child is both a mental and metaphorical notion representing the subconscious, childlike aspects of an adult’s personality, emotions and memories. Reconnecting with our inner child is also a contemporary coping mechanism to survive today's climate of conflict and aggression, favouring a kinder, more empathetic way of life. 

Following 8 main themes, this book profiles prominent contemporary designers and artists that celebrate joyful optimism, naïve simplicity and pure imagination. Their work incorporates simple materials such as wood, cardboard, papier mâché, ceramics and cuddly textiles. 

The book opens with an essay by Edelkoort on the underexplored archaeological histories of toys and a chapter honouring design pioneers from across the inner child movement, spanning from Gerrit Rietveld to Maarten Baas. Additional essays by the philosopher Ype de Boer, academic Susan Magsamen and designer Ivy Ross take a deeper look at the anthropological, psychological and neuroaesthetic impacts of play and making. 

Beautifully-designed by Mariola López Mariño at LopezLab in Amsterdam, at 2 inches thick, the publication's broad format, large typeface and hand-drawn titles embody the sturdy spirit of children’s books. 

Inner Child: Playing with Design is an engaging storybook that unfolds through multiple voices and creative perspectives. It announces a new period in design that is analogue-centred and often crafted by hand — a much-needed antidote to the digital technologies currently challenging human senses and agency.