# Recreated Childhood Games The 'Jianzi Box' is a Modern Version of an Ancient Chinese Game By Christopher Magsambol | Published 2015-10-07 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jianzi-box References: [retaildesignblog.net](http://retaildesignblog.net/2015/10/06/jianzi-box-at-beijing-design-week-by-spark-beijing-china/) & [architectmagazine](http://www.architectmagazine.com/project-gallery/jianzi-box_o) The 'Jianzi Box' in Beijing is meant to reinvigorate a sense of community in the city while paying homage to an ancient game. The object of Jianzi was to keep a heavily-weighed shuttlecock from touching the ground. The game encouraged many people to come together and to work toward a common goal -- not dissimilar to a simple game of keep-up. For Beijing Design Week, architects decided to reinterpret the game and invert its meaning to create the Jianzi Box. The Jianzi Box was built on a [large vacant lot](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/more-ball-games) and is made from thousands of multi-colored shuttlecocks. Rather than keeping up a single piece like the ancient game, the structure instead surrounds children and community members and encourages [social interaction within the space](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/city-chase). The goal for the project was to promote a sense of spontaneity and dynamism, qualities missing from Beijing's modern culture. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.7/10 - Popularity: 79% | Activity: 85% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Gen Alpha - Top markets: Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Community Reinvigoration:** The 'Jianzi Box' reinterprets an ancient game to promote community interaction and revive a sense of togetherness. - **Reimagining Traditional Games:** Architects create innovative structures using traditional game concepts as a source of inspiration. - **Promoting Spontaneity and Dynamism:** Design projects aim to inject a sense of excitement and liveliness into modern cultures. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Architecture and Urban Design:** Architects explore new ways to integrate traditional games into modern urban spaces. - **Community Development and Engagement:** Projects like the 'Jianzi Box' encourage community members to interact and participate in shared activities. - **Cultural Preservation and Innovation:** Recreating and reinterpreting traditional games helps preserve cultural heritage while introducing refreshing elements. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Eye-Catching Basketball Parks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/basketball-park.md) - [Paper-Made Portable Board Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-poppu.md) - [Colorful Municipal Recreational Facilities](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vibrant-sports-park.md) - [Intelligent Portable Board Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/eifplay.md) - [Vibrant Sports Parks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/huachiao-vibrant-sports-park.md) - [Luxury Block Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bottega-veneta-jenga.md) - [Chicken Nugget-Shaped Gaming Devices](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tetris-device.md) - [Redefined Sculptural Games](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/another-kingdom.md) - [Tech-Enriched Sports Equipment](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/goal-concept.md)