'the rise of vietnamese robots' pays homage to the forgotten window designs of saigon

saigon-based conceptual art studio, design by reborn released a series of 22 limited edition collectable toys — ‘the rise of the vietnamese robots’ — as an initiative to save the dying art form of traditional vietnamese window grills. each handcrafted from lacquered wood blocks, and screen printed with unique motifs, the robots display a combination of playful colors and shapes. embedded with magnets on every point of joinery, the toys can be self assembled.

all images courtesy of design by reborn

design by reborn brings life to the ideas, objects, stories, and architecture that have been forgotten and left behind by the rise of contemporary art forms in vietnam. as the traditional window grills of saigon are becoming more standardized, ‘the rise of vietnamese robots’ re-conceptualizes traditional patterns as futuristic robots and flying machines to help appeal to a younger generation. the one-year-long project involved meticulously documenting a variety of window grills across the country, before converting them into digital illustrations and finally expressing the designs as abstract robot forms.

each limited edition toy comes with an interactive assembly diagram that addresses the exact location of the window pattern that it was inspired by. this allows consumers to visit vietnam and trace the origins of the toy’s design. available now for pre-order on the design by reborn website, the prices of the toys range from $150 USD to $1,800 USD depending on their size and complexity.

project info:

title: ‘the rise of vietnamese robots’

design firm: design by reborn

price range: $150 USD to $1800 USD