Puxxle
Portuguese designer sisters Luisa Lente and Catarina Lente rethink the puzzle
Growing up, sisters Luisa and Catarina Lente were as fascinated by classic jigsaw puzzles as they were by complex virtual games like SimCity2000. Drawing connections between the pixels that made up their online worlds and the pieces of their favorite board games, the Lentes decided to create a kind of hybrid to bring their pixelated world into the tangible realm. Part puzzle part pixel, their solution, the Puxxle, is all about the play between 2D and 3D.
Designed to be a wall decoration, Puxxles invite the user to be a part of the creative process. Like a puzzle, each Puxxle is made up of small, colorful vinyl pieces that can stick to walls or windows, which one must configure in order to create an image. Geared toward both children and adults, Puxxles come in a growing variety of designs including everything from sharks to busts of Frida Kahlo.
“Everything that we have drawn are things that we like; above all we have to appreciate their interaction with the space,” the team says. “Whether it’s a crocodile that eats a power outlet or an owl.” To the Lente sisters, Puxxle engages the user so that they go beyond simply decorating and actually interact with their surroundings. Puxxles are available through their website and run between €18 to €45 depending on their size.
