6 / 3 / 18
Young children love mirrors – but why are all mirrors rectangles?
(It’s probably easier to cut glass in a straight line, right?) We propose a different sort of mirror for outdoor play: a round one! A mirror which deliberately focuses on the child in the middle. This mirror uses natural sticks laid radially around the mirror panel, and then can be installed on a vertical surface e.g. a fence or wall. (A square mirror can be used behind the sticks for ease of glass cutting.)
The mirror is at once natural in appearance, and different to house or indoor mirrors. It’s radial lines are compelling, and when a child looks at himself/herself, they will experience heightened pleasure. The creative setting will also engender imaginative play: “let’s make it that the mirror is the sun, and we are at the beach…” et cetera! The sticks can be adorned and decorated in a variety of ways e.g. tinsel at Christmas, “snow” in Winter, blossoms in Spring, coloured leaves in Autumn.
Why not make the sunray mirror with your children, for fun and enjoyment for all! All you need is a mirror, a collection of sticks and some glue.
At Fiona Robbé Landscape Architects we have been working on our own Sunray Stick Mirror! Our Industrial Designer Matt has come up with this design for our mirror:
To make the centre of the mirror clear and to have a surface easier to attach the sticks to, we are going to create a wooden board cover for the mirror. Our circular mirror face will have a diameter of 250mm (perfect for a face ). This size will result in an amazing installation!
The mirror arrived last week and we have collected some sticks from the garden to use. What a fun project!
UPDATE 10 / 4 / 18
Progress: Matt has created the back panel of our prototype Sunray Stick Mirror! He has used exterior pine, which was only $14. Following his design, the next step is attaching the wonky sticks!
UPDATE 18 / 5 / 18
The finished product! After gluing and nailing the sticks Matt finished off the mirror with lacquer. Gordon Preschool is excited to install the prototype in their playspace!
