art director + designer
Childhood should be filled with joy and play, but for children born with cleft conditions, even the simplest toys can become daily reminders of struggle. Whistles that won’t sound, bubble wands that won’t blow, pacifiers that can’t soothe—each reflects the invisible challenges these kids face.
To raise awareness, we created The Unplayable Toys collection: five classic childhood toys purposely designed to fail, exhibited at the Smile Asia Gala 2025 (in Singapore). The installation became the centerpiece of the event, moving donors and dignitaries alike, and helping drive a 400% increase in donations compared to the previous year.
Featured:
We’ve printed and placed the toys at the entrance of the Gala, just like an art exhibition.
They were inside of acrylic boxes and, bellow them, the guests were able to read a brief description of each toy, the background that made them impossible to be played by a kid born with cleft lips and what makes them unplayable by no one at all.
This way, we’ve made people realise and think of how the childhood of those kids look like, motivating them to make a difference through donation.