Depok-Universitas Indonesia, through the Media Production study program in the Vocational Education Program, launched a multi-purpose building block toy studio (bricks), named TOBO Studio, as a forum to develop student innovation in designing, producing, and developing toy designs based on creativity and science.
As a form of commitment to developing vocational education that is adaptive to industry needs, TOBO Studio was formed to provide a broad space for UI students to explore toy and brick design professionally.
The Head of the Media Production Study Program, Ngurah Rangga Wiwesa, M.I.Kom., explained that toys and bricks are a potential industry that can be beneficial for developing student creativity. He believes this concentration can provide students with a platform for exploration in character design, storytelling, or gamification.
“We strive to provide learning through an edutainment approach. Furthermore, we also want students to develop their products into commercial products through business incubators or entrepreneurship competitions,” said Rangga.
(Photo: Toy making process at TOBO Studio)
With comprehensive facilities and direct guidance from experienced lecturers in the industry, TOBO Studio is part of the Media Production study program’s concentration. TOBO Studio has also collaborated with several industry partners, such as Mattel Indonesia, the company behind popular toys like Barbie, Hot Wheels, Thomas & Friends, and others. Furthermore, TOBO Studio also collaborates with EMCO as a partner for its student internship program.
In the rapidly growing creative industry, toy design is a promising field for meeting market needs, education, and entertainment. According to data from the Indonesian Toy Industry Association (AIMI), the physical toy market value reached IDR 10 trillion in 2022. This figure is an indicator that the Indonesian toy industry has enormous and growing market potential.
(Photo: Benchmarking visit by Media Production students to Hot Wheels)
The high consumer demand for toys, both in terms of quantity and variety, demonstrates the sector’s significant role in the national economy, including its contribution to employment, investment, and exports. This means there are ample opportunities for toy industry players to innovate and compete in both domestic and international markets.
TOBO Studio is currently run by a student team consisting of Farrand Farrell, Archiello Putra Irawan, Anastacia Carolyn Daendells, and Nabila Salim Sungkar. Farrand serves as project manager and toy designer, while Archiello, Anastacia, and Nabila contribute as toy designers.
“Our biggest motivation for joining TOBO Studio stems from our love of playing with toys since childhood. While studying Media Production, we felt we had the perfect platform to develop this interest academically and professionally,” said Anastacia.
This interest then developed into an initiative to deepen the world of toys and bricks on campus through TOBO Studio as an experimental space to explore aspects of toy production, from design, child psychology, to product packaging.
(Photo: Student team from TOBO Studio)
Since its founding, TOBO Studio has produced a number of innovative projects. One example is the creation of brick figures representing 15 majors at the UI Vocational. Furthermore, a recent project included blind box figures of iconic cats from the UI Vocational environment, developed in collaboration with VCoop Mart. This project was one of the most memorable experiences for the TOBO Studio team, as it explored local characters familiar to campus life.
“Initially, we were challenged to create a toy product that represented UI Vocational. Because many cats are a part of everyday life here, we were inspired to create figurines of them,” explained Farrand.
Through activities at TOBO Studio, students learn a variety of new skills, from 2D and 3D modeling, packaging design, project management, to developing ideas into tangible products. All of this provides valuable insight into the industrial world firsthand. They also acknowledge the lecturers’ role in guiding and providing guidance, which is crucial in supporting TOBO Studio activities.
“TOBO has been very supportive of our learning process, especially in terms of creative thinking. Here, we’re encouraged to understand the concepts, goals, and impact of the products we create,” added Anastacia.
By actively participating in TOBO Studio, Media Production students have been exposed to the potential of careers in the toy industry, a field rarely explored in-depth in higher education. They hope TOBO Studio will continue to grow, both in terms of facilities, industry networks, and student participation from various fields.
TOBO Studio proves that the toy world can be a field of innovation that demands creativity, perseverance, and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Through TOBO Studio, UI Vocational provides a real space for students to create and build a foundation for careers in the promising creative industry sector.
