Visco is a toy that merges imagination with design rigor, blending fantasy with theoretical foundations. It invites children to explore their surroundings differently through a modular toy that transforms into binoculars, glasses, or a telescope. By interacting with colored lenses and filters, Visco creates mesmerizing distortions that spark curiosity and intuitive exploration of physical and natural concepts.

Developed in the Design for Play studio (2024-1) of the Master’s in Design at Universidad de los Andes, Visco was co-created by Diana Contreras, Carolina Upegui, Manuela Ospina, and David Duarte, alongside children from the Refuerzo Escolar Fenicia program in Bogotá and Manga Bonita school in Marsella, Risaralda. This collaboration emphasized the role of wonder in exploration, construction as a catalyst for play, and form as a guide for gesture—principles that shaped its design.

Color emerged as a key element, driving curiosity and discovery. Through optical play with lenses and filters, children aged 10 to 12 experienced their world in unexpected ways.

Designed with adaptability in mind, Visco is shaped by diverse urban and rural contexts. Prototyping with children highlighted the need for flexibility, resourcefulness, and design that responds to different realities. More than just a toy, Visco is an invitation to question, explore, and marvel at the world through a new lens.