Wild animals at NDSM with th work Animal Factory by Luca Boscardin

Designer and illustrator Luca Boscardin is one of the two winners of the Open Call that was organized this year by Stichting NDSM-werf. His Animal Factory project consists of minimally designed metal animals such as a crocodile and a giraffe. The works invite you to sit on or climb up and thus play with the idea of the NDSM wharf as an urban jungle. The animals can be found in the public space of the wharf from August 19th.

“It’s natural for humans to want to play, use our creativity, and occasionally think of something fantastic and crazy.” – Luca Boscardin 2021

Animal Factory is a collection of animals designed in a simple and abstract way, each preserving the exact size and proportions of the real animals. The objects – a giraffe, gorilla, crocodile and wolf – are characterized by a minimal shape, made of metal tubing and a minimal use of color: each one is painted in a single shade, encouraging passers-by to open their minds and let their imaginations run wild. While from a certain angle the steel construction does not seem to have a specific shape, from another place the contours of a gorilla are clearly visible. In this way the animals form surprises in the industrial landscape.

Luca Boscardin hopes with the objects to encourage creativity and multifunctional use of the NDSM-wharf. The structures of the different animals can represent a gigantic playground for children, an alternative tool for a work-out, a peculiar place to hang out, or even a bike rack. Due to the simplistic design and construction process, more animals can be imagined to join the herd. As a toy designer, Luca draws space rockets, fantasy creatures, imaginary characters and super-fast cars on a daily basis. With the life-size metal animals, he gives visitors to the yard the space to use their own imagination and invites people from all ages to play, hang out or play sports. 

Animal Factory was created with the help of steel carpenter Iwan Snel, also located at the NDSM wharf. The entire project was designed and produced in the immediate vicinity of NDSM.

About Luca Boscardin

Luca Boscardin is an Italian toy designer and icon designer stationed in the NDSM-Loods with his studio. His work mainly consists of designing and creating toys for children. Through play he tries to expose children to new designs and ways of thinking. In addition to toys, Boscardin also designs logos and icons for, among others, technology companies. 

Practical information

The various works of ‘Animal Factory’ can be seen from 19 August in various places on the shipyard. In addition to Luca Boscardin, Anne-Jan Reijn’s entry also won. His work ‘Public Air Filters’ can also be seen on the Ms. Van Riemsdijkweg, opposite the Pontkade building.

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