Freelance Industrial Designer — Competitive Team Building Play Kit (Towers & Bridges)

Design Observer

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

Description

I'm developing a competitive play kit inspired by the kind of hands-on building challenges you see in school STEM programs, corporate team-building activities, and group workshops — think spaghetti tower challenges, marshmallow builds, or stick-and-rubber-band tensegrity towers. The goal is to take that energy and package it into a polished, retail-ready product that families and adults can bring home and play competitively.

Players compete in teams to build the tallest tower or longest bridge using a set of physical components — rods, connectors, bases, and similar elements — under time pressure or structural constraints. The experience should feel fast, tactile, and satisfying, with a low barrier to entry but real skill development over time.

I'm looking for a freelance industrial designer to help take this from a well-defined concept to a manufacturable, retail-ready kit.

What You'll Be Working On

Design of the core buildable components (rods, connectors, bases, or similar)

Ensuring pieces are intuitive, durable, and fast to assemble mid-competition

Packaging design for a retail-ready boxed kit

Production-ready CAD files and manufacturing documentation

Ideal Background

Experience designing physical consumer products, toys, or games

Strong instinct for how pieces feel in the hand — ergonomics and tactility matter here

Comfortable taking a project from concept through to factory-ready specs

Bonus: familiarity with STEM education products, team-building games, or activity kits