Robots 1:1

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This book delves into the space-themed toys from the R. F. Robot Collection at the Vitra Design Museum, primarily produced in Japan between 1937 and 1973. Curated by Rolf Fehlbaum, the collection features robots and astronauts, described as “small kinetic sculptures of great originality.” Since the term "robot" emerged in Karel Čapek’s 1921 play R. U. R., these figures have symbolized both human servitude and a shift in societal power dynamics. The book presents these toys and their original packaging at a 1:1 scale, with the largest robot dictating the book's size, enhancing the uncanny and ambivalent nature of the figures. Vivid illustrations on the packaging reflect the futuristic fantasies of the era. Limited to 1,000 signed copies, the book includes a USB stick with 34 short films showcasing the robots in action, and a poster featuring 80 robots in chronological order. The R. F. Robot Collection, located in the »Black Box« on the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, is accessible to the public through guided tours.