Quite high, quite simple: A tower made only of stacking blocks
13.7.2026
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Pia Seidel
A tower, four and a half meters high, in the middle of a design exhibition in Copenhagen. At "3daysofdesign", Stapelstein showed how far the play principle can be pushed. I took a closer look at the installation.
No tools, no screws, just element on element. And yet, the pink tower simply stood there. In the middle of the Deoron exhibition, which brought together over 30 studios and labels as part of "3daysofdesign".
What's behind the macaron shapes
Oversized macarons? Almost. Actually, it's movement therapy with a sense of humor. Stapelstein comes from Germany and was founded by Stephan Schenk, who comes from a family of educators. It started with a stool that could be playfully adjusted – rather well-behaved, rather practical. Then Schenk showed the first prototypes to children. And they thought: Stool? Not really. Building towers, setting up obstacle courses, sorting colors – that makes much more sense. The stool became an open movement object that could no longer be confined.
The pedagogical background is no coincidence. According to the World Health Organization, around 80 percent of young people worldwide do not get enough exercise – too many hours at school, too many in front of screens, too little free play. This is exactly where Stapelstein wants to start: with color instead of admonition.
The tower as a performance
The installation in Copenhagen, called "Stapelstein Grow", was less an exhibit and more a performance. The tower was built live, element by element, while Stephan Schenk himself climbed it. No scaffolding, no crane, just him and his sense of balance. His body was the only tool. But the sculpture was not finished yet: Over the three days of the fair, curious visitors could continue building it themselves.
Future-oriented play
And because sustainability in toys quickly becomes lip service: there's actually more to it here. The elements consist exclusively of EPP, a plastic that can be 100 percent recycled back into production. In cooperation with WasteReduction, every purchase also removes plastic waste from the environment, according to Stapelstein, so far around 40,000 kilograms. Production is also pollutant-free in Germany, in what is claimed to be the world's most energy-efficient EPP production facility.
Why Stapelstein is particularly interesting right now
The installation shows what is possible with these elements. But even at home or when traveling, they cut a good figure in small numbers. Compact, robust, weatherproof – whether it's a balance exercise in a hotel room or an obstacle course on the beach: The "Stapelstein Inside Rainbow Classic 6-piece set", for example, simply goes along with it: light enough for the trunk or for luggage, large enough for any holiday boredom.
Header image: Pia Seidel
Pia Seidel
Senior Editor
Pia.Seidel@digitecgalaxus.chLike a cheerleader, I love celebrating good design and bringing you closer to everything furniture- and interior design- related. I regularly curate simple yet sophisticated interior ideas, report on trends and interview creative minds about their work.
News + Trends
From the latest iPhone to the return of 80s fashion. The editorial team will help you make sense of it all.
Show allThese articles might also interest you
3 comments
later