My design concept was integrating a magic box toy with a Chinese Dim Sum box for dumplings. The 2D ideation sketch process consisted of brainstorming different ways to create multi-layered, hidden compartments that give a surprising discovery effect. The concept I went forward with was a 2-layered compartmental box that held uncooked dumplings on the top layer while holding cooked dumplings on the bottom layer. When the user places the lid cover over the top layer, it picks up the uncooked dumpling box using a magnet mechanism. This reveals the bottom layer which contains the cooked dumplings.
I created a 1:1 scale cardboard prototype and modeled the containers in Rhino. Afterwards, I 3D-printed the model and painted over it.
Growing up, my grandmother taught me how to make my own dumplings, so I considered the tactility with the dumplings while a child would play with it.
I created the dumplings with soft felt and used Velcro as a simpler way of folding and closing the dumplings. I used soft and squishy polyurethane foam for the dumpling fillings.
