Project Overview

The client presented an open-ended brief: design a battery-operated 3D wooden puzzle that is "something fun," utilizing strictly five wooden component sheets and a basic motor engine.

I chose to interpret this challenge by reimagining a classic cinematic moment as an interactive automata kit. Moving beyond static model making, this concept invites users to not only build a scene but to engineer movement, combining the tactile satisfaction of wooden assembly with the excitement of kinetic engineering.

Design Approach

To maximize the impact of the basic motor, I focused on creating a synchronized mechanism that tells a story. I designed a stylized King Kong scaling a skyscraper, where the mechanics drive the narrative: as the biplanes spin in a continuous loop at the top, the gorilla’s head rotates to track their movement with his gaze, and his arm swipes up and down in an attempt to catch them.

My goal was to push the technical limits of the five-sheet constraint to create a "living" centerpiece. It was important to me that the complex mechanical linkages resulted in a playful, nostalgic design that would immediately bring a smile to the viewer's face.

From anatomy to assembly: Mapping geometric planes to biological features.