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Experimental design studio, Felix Salut, explores the possibilities of typography as a fun learning tool with this innovative game

OCT 16, 2019 | By Felix Salut

OMG! BRB! LOL! I love how the usage of letters portray the world we live in. For the Galapagos Game, I looked at handwriting and wondered if there was an underlying system. From this, I derived nine basic shapes, using which all letters can be formed. The first sketches were simple paper cut-outs. To test if they were attractive to others, I asked my children to play with the basic elements. When they started to draw houses and faces, I realised the shapes were not only great to write with but to scribble, draw, create patterns, build and invent. The game is all about combinations and possibilities within a visual system. Named after the Galapagos Islands that are home to a vast number of unique species, the game encompasses a range of characters and forms that keep evolving. It is a framework that supports auto-didactic activities, operating under the dynamic Montessori approach to learning. Based on principles of self-study, it encourages the joy of discovery and creativity. The pocket version of the game is made of 54 building blocks, printed with nine different geometric shapes that can be laid out to form endless combinations of letters, words or more abstract artistic expressions. The game can be seen as an efficient way to study the alphabet. Moreover, playfulness, creativity and productive use of time ensue, whether you’re alone or in the company of others – defying all conventional laws of efficiency.