* DESIGN OF
THE YEAR 2020
EYEYAH!
Designer
EYEYAH!
DISCIPLINE
Exhibition Design
UX/UI DESIGN
Visual Communication
Digital Design
DESIGN IMPACT
Advancing Singapore Brand, Culture and Community
Making Ground-breaking Achievements in Design
CONTACT
Climate change, fake news and food security are complex topics that stump even adults. But EYEYAH! makes them palatable and engaging for children. The educational platform uses visual communications to break down social issues that make audiences pause, ponder and perhaps push themselves to change for the better.
These are presented in a variety of multimedia offerings, ranging from magazines to exhibitions and even an augmented reality experience. Each is a product of intensive research with different experts, educators and parents. The Singapore-based team then collaborates with creatives from around the world to present it in visual form. The myriad touchpoints and experiences offer a global perspective on social issues while nurturing creative thinking through visible thinking routines such as “See, Think, Wonder.” EYEYAH! magazines are distributed globally in institutions like the Design Museum in London, Magma UK and National Gallery Singapore.
By using colourful and diverse visual languages and styles, EYEYAH! helps the young look at the world with fresh eyes and step up to be part of the change they want to see. It is a powerful example of how visual communications can not only captivate, but also educate.
READ MOREABOUT THE DESIGNER
Born in Singapore, EYEYAH! was created by Tanya Wilson and Steve Lawler, veterans of the creative industry. Over the last 20 years, the duo have worked with an impressive list of clients from around the world as well as a network of artists in both the commercial and cultural sectors.
Having created a name for themselves with the seminal kult Magazine in the early 2000s, they went on to develop a strong network of creators for the educational space through EYEYAH!. They firmly believe that designers and artists have incredible potential for changing the status quo and should be encouraged to do so.
A graduate of the prestigious FABRICA, a communication research centre in Italy, Steve’s artistic sensibility brings an utterly original curation to the platform that appeals to both children and adults. He is also an artist, designer, curator and creative director. Tanya’s background in public relations, events and communication has brought her around the world to execute fascinating projects for leading global brands. Often referred to as “the sensible one” in the partnership, her Masters in Digital Marketing makes her key in the strategic growth of EYEYAH! and its future.
READ MOREDESIGNER
EYEYAH!
Tanya Wilson
Steve Lawler
Insights from the Recipient
Citation
Jury Citation
EYEYAH! is an educational platform that uses engaging learning materials and events to help children understand important social, environmental and economic topics. Through its magazines, toolkits, interactive workshops, exhibitions and even an app, EYEYAH! nurtures children’s creative and problem-solving skills in a playful and original way.
Each issue is painstakingly researched in consultation with subject matter experts, educators and parents. For example, after learning that the perception of “ugly” food items contributed to food waste, EYEYAH! created a family of “ugly” vegetable characters to change minds. The augmented reality experience was showcased to thousands of children and families at Singapore’s ArtScience Museum.
EYEYAH! is used in various educational set-ups around the world. Numerous schools in Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States use it as part of their teaching materials. Its worksheets are featured monthly on the South China Morning Post’s Posties, one of Hong Kong’s top educational newspapers. Apple also recognised the EYEYAH! App as the top free app of the week when it was launched.
The Jury commends EYEYAH! for using design in a humorous yet sophisticated way to help children learn about the world they live in. Though modest in scale, the project has huge potential for global impact.
VIEW JURORSNominator Citation
Adrian Lim
Executive Director
Media Literacy Council
EYEYAH! was a recipient of the Media Literacy Council’s second iteration of Better Internet x Youth Call-for-Proposals. Their project was an app version of its Internet issue, which has since been used in primary schools as part of a workshop to promote safer internet usage.
Its interactive designs have piqued students’ interest in the topic and the accompanying activities have helped them to learn how to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly.
We are glad to have worked with EYEYAH! to provide education on internet safety and media literacy. They have used design and technology to capture the attention of students and enhance their understanding of responsible internet usage.