Well Damien Murtagh, architect and founder of Arckit, created a serious tool for fellow architects that has been unexpectedly been chosen as a finalist for this prestigious title. What a tremendous spin off for a very in demand product
As an architect did you always build models of the buildings you designed or would 3D software do the trick?
Yes, I have always used physical working models to explore and communicate my ideas. For me they are an intrinsic part of the design thought process.
When you created Arckit who did you see as your typical end user?
The idea for Arckit came when I was developing a real modular building concept. The use of traditional working models within architecture practices is becoming a thing of the past due to the time and cost constraints involved. The original intention was to develop Arckit for my fellow architects and students of architecture as a faster, more flexible and affordable alternative to ‘cut and glue' models. It soon became apparent that the system could potentially benefit others such as model hobbyists and the education sector, so we evolved Arckit to open up model making to everyone.
When did it become a commercially saleable item?
We launched Arckit at Grand Designs Live Show London in mid 2014. The reaction to Arckit was amazing and we completely sold out of all our sample kits. This is when we realised that Arckit appealed to a wider audience and was a commercially viable item.
How did it evolve from an architect's work tool to a toy?
We never really say that Arckit is a ‘toy', but rather a ‘tool'. Arckit is correctly perceived as a step up from building block toys to a more realistic product akin to an architect's Lego type system. After all, the Arckit system is inspired by modern panelled building techniques used in architecture and is widely used as a professional tool by architects. We evolved the product range, building capabilities and external resources after we began to receive so many enquiries from parents and schools who could see the educational benefits of using Arckit to teach STEM.
Do you sell into both the commercial and toy markets still?
Arckit is uniquely crossing a variety of sectors including professional, commercial, consumer (toy/gift/hobby), education and even health. There are multiple benefits to Arckit and we are now seeing it used for different purposes such as a reusable design tool, a fun way to express creativity, a practical tool for learning, and even a therapeutic system that requires patience. The toy/hobby market is still a major sector for us, whilst education is also becoming increasing significant.
UK only or the world?
To date the US has been our biggest market, with the UK coming a close second.
Arckit has been nominated as one of the seven toys of the year by the Toy Industry Association. How did that happen?
We entered the competition with our new Arckit GO Colours Kit and were ecstatic to learn that we were chosen as a finalist from many hundreds of entries for the ‘Construction Toy of the Year Award'. They call the TIA Awards ‘The Oscars' of the toy industry and we are very proud to be up against popular brands such as Lego, Meccano, Guidecraft, Magformers &Tinkerbots.
Where to now?
Arckit is and has always been an evolutionary system and we intend to continue to develop in this way. We already have lots of R&D and exciting ideas in the pipeline.
