# Family Focused Figurines These Mani Zamani Designs Look Like a Group of Penguins By Josh Triantafilou | Published 2012-05-13 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mani-zamani References: [toydesignserved](http://www.toydesignserved.com/gallery/The-Family/3693251) & [manizamani](http://www.manizamani.com/) Gothenburg, Swedend-based designer Mani Zamani recently constructed a collection of [kin-focused characters](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sense-of-togetherness) titled 'The Family.' Zamani explains on his Behance page that the inspiration for this series came from a previous project. As part of his master's degree studies, the designer was given a project in which he had to convey stories found in the city of Gothenburg. He decided to make a group of toy robots that expressed various aspects of the city. The toy robots were made from wood, but separated into two different categories. One group, made of oak, represented native Swedish inhabitants of Gothenburg. The other group, made of walnut, represented immigrants. Zamani has used these same toy robots to convey the dynamics between adults and children in familial relationships. Furthermore, he makes little distinction between [walnut and oak](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/woodcarving-heritage), thereby suggesting a melting pot effect. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.9/10 - Popularity: 18% | Activity: 2% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Kin-focused Characters:** Designing figurines that represent different dynamics in familial relationships. - **Toy Robots:** Using toy robots as a medium to express various aspects of a city or a story. - **Melting Pot Effect:** Blurring the distinction between different cultural backgrounds to promote inclusivity. ### Where This Applies - **Toy Design:** Creating innovative toy designs that capture different aspects of human relationships. - **Home Decor:** Designing figurines that can be used as decorative items in homes to represent familial relationships. - **Urban Art:** Using urban art installations to portray stories and experiences of a city's inhabitants. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Retro Drawing-Inpsired Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/family-project.md) - [Stiffened Felt Furniture Projects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/la-famiglia.md) - [Playful Collectible Figures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/zsiga-care-bears.md) - [Togetherness-Inspired Furniture Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/coming-home.md) - [Community-Centric Sculptural Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/playful-sculptures.md) - [Maternal-Themed Sculptural Cabinets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mother-and-child.md) - [Colorful Foam-Based Furniture Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/family-collection.md) - [Human Embraced-Inspired Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wallmounted-sculpture.md) - [Toy Block-Inspired Furniture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bloc-collection.md)