A simple but inventive educational toy designed in 1976 by Niko Kralj, the internationally-acclaimed pioneer of Slovenian contemporary industrial design, is finally coming on the market.

Kralj (1920-2013) is best known for the Rex folding chair, which has found its place in the collection of the New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

Among the many products he designed was Konstrukta, a durable, safe and innovative wooden toy that can be reshaped into anything from an aircraft to a puppy or even a playground feature.

Until now, the toy has never been manufactured. A Konstrukta prototype was one of the show pieces on display at a major retrospective exhibition on Kralj at the Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO) in 2012.

The museum, which keeps Kralj's archives and collection of products, obtained additional material linked to Kralj in June 2019 and discovered a patent notification for the toy that Kralj applied for at the federal patent office in Belgrade in 1976.

Konstrukta consists of 34 basic wooden modules, ovals and spheres, which can be inserted into each other and reinforced by means of connectors made of recycled plastic. The elements have no sharp edges or corners.

The building blocks can be assembled into an endless number of structures and shapes. Also included are instructions with photographs that can be used to make an aircraft, a dog, or a train.

An enlarged version of Konstrukta can also be made into a variety of playground toys.

MAO says Konstrukta represents Kralj's relationship to the world, which kids can learn about in endless variations and nuances.

"Playing with wood unleashes our creativity and imagination, and assembling different shapes and shapes together builds a functional and empathetic community by encouraging collaboration and an exchange of ideas," the museum said.

MAO asked the copyright owner, the designer's daughter Veronika Kralj Iglič for permission to manufacture a trial series of replicas to test how the product can be used as part of MAO's educational process.

MAO curator Natalija Lapajne, which initiated the project, explained that they also joined forces with Meta Kamšek, the coordinator and founder of the Kočevje cooperative Festival of Wood.

Kamšek, who is a retired headteacher, agreed that the cooperative will manufacture the toy and try to launch it on the market with the support of MAO's Creativity Centre CzK. The toy is being made of locally sourced wood

According to Lapajne, first testing has shown that Konstrukta will soon become an indispensable playing and learning tool for children from the age of five.

The toy has also shown excellent results as a tool to be used in occupational therapy at dementia wards of care homes or day-care centres for people with special needs. It can also help recovery from various illnesses or injuries.