Vancouver designers feather the nest

Inspired by crows’ daily migration, Vancouver design firm Contexture Design creates a modern, educational mobile that’s as ecological as it is artful

Trevor Coghill and Nathan Lee, co-founders of Vancouver’s Contexture Design, have taken inspiration from the daily migration of Vancouver’s crows to create a mobile of laser-cut crows from recycled black paper and outdated road maps salvaged from travel companies’ recycling bins.

“We used maps from across the continent to reflect the universality of this phenomenon and the distances these birds travel,” says Coghill.

These modern mobiles, aptly dubbed “As the Crow Flies,” each include a family of seven crows and a large hand-folded tree. A gentle breeze sends the flock drifting into action, floating off to their make-believe rookery. “Crows are very family oriented animals,” says Lee. “They mate for life, live in family groups, and even though their offspring may travel the country and live in other cities, they often return to visit.”

Hip parents can now choose this artful mobile as an ecological and educational alternative to the typical cutesy kids’ products. Even better, the smart and stylish mobiles have been designed to fit in recycled envelopes for shipping, reducing the need for further packaging. Now that’s something to crow about.