Zometool Workshop with Paul Hildebrandt at Okazaki World Art Museum for Children on November 6, 2005
Paul Hildebrandt, president of Zometool Inc., visited Japan to give a workshop at Okazaki Joint Exhibition. The exhibition is showing t different construction toys that have to be connected, so they call the exhibition "Joint"Exhibition, from all over the world, including Lego, Brio, Neaf and Zometool! There were over 20 thousand visitors already during one month since it started. There is a big zome polytope model displayed at the exhibition and is collecting a lot of attention among the visitors. There were many children who were looking forward to the workshop, and they had to limit the number to 25 childredn for the workshop day. So how did it go?
12:30 〜 13:30　"Let's Find the Mystery of Form in Zome Model!"
Paul and Ken Maehata, the chairman of Image Mission Inc. were introduced to the audience and the first workshop began. Paul introduced Zome as the form that consists of 2, 3 and 5. and demonstrated the shadow of the Zome kits. The participants and the parents as well were listening to the explanation attentively. Then, Paul demonstrated soaking the models into soap water. Again, he projected the models to the screen to show how the models are constructed with the soap water. The demonstration was very logical and easy to understand for both children and parents. Finally, children made their own model and tried to soak them in the soap water to find out what happens to their model. They were all very happy!!
14:30 〜 15:30 "Let's Make a Polytope with Zome!"
At 2:30, 25 children who applied to the workshop beforehand and their parents gathered at a corner of the Museum. They were all very excited to work with Paul. Paul said, "We do not have much time! So we all have to work together, all right?" And they said, "Yeah!!" Paul explained the dodecahedron and then what will happen when it is squashed. He divided the participants into three groups to work respectively on parts of the Polytope. He was amazing to collect them to construct into a big and beautiful model. And the children were wonderful to construct what they were supposed to, with their parents' help. In just 35 minitues, the big 120 Cells was constructed with everybody's participation. It was a big surprise for them, and when it was set at the front entrance hall as Everybody's Work, children were all very happy. When you visit the Okazaki World Art Museum for Children, please make sure to look at this model It is wonderful to work on Zome Up the Collaboration! It will be shown for the rest of the month of November.