'armadillo' by kenji abe is a dumbbell, accessory and sculpture all in one

tokyo based designer, kenji abe, has created a dumbbell that is designed to be used practically for exercise, while also being a beautiful object to harmonize with interiors. ‘armadillo’, which won the grand prize at toyama design competition 2018, functions not only as a dumbbell, but also a piece of jewelry when being used to exercise and as a sculpture when not.

all images courtesy of kenji abe

the armadillo is self-stabilized by its own weight and the hand grip is tilted 45 degrees, making it easy to grasp from any angle. the design by kenji abe enables a variety of uses. the dumbbell can be passed through the arm or hooked on the foot to exercise different parts of the body, and the smooth metal texture has been selected to enable comfortable workouts. the dumbbell is realized using high-quality casting and polishing technology from the toyama prefecture in japan. the original bronze color is taken advantage of, with only sandblasting and mirror finishes being applied to the metal surface. with this design, the armadillo aims to promote a healthy lifestyle while also creating a beautiful object for the home.

example 1 : grasp the grip

example 2 : pass through the arm and use it

example 3 : hook on the foot

tilted 45 degrees making it easy to grip from any side

self-stabilizing using its own weight

the metal texture is selected for comfort

the original bronze color is retained

the sandblasting and mirror finishes

the design in harmony with interiors

the dumbbell is made using casting and polishing techniques from the toyama prefecture

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom