PRIMOS means cousins.

At first, when Lucas asked us to make three character-like dolls to use as containers for the seed exchange by Plants+, he mentioned he wanted them to be like brothers. Some sketches later, we came up with three prototypes, one made out of bamboo, one using hinoki (Japanese cypress) and one with cotton fabric stuffed with rice.

Kome Primo sketch · Boceto de Kome Primo

Hinoki Primo

‘They don’t look much like brothers’ –we said – ‘although there is some connection going on between them… Maybe they are more like cousins.’ Lucas liked how the word primo sounded in Spanish and decided to keep them this way. We then worked on the final models, adding some cool features Lucas suggested like magnetized head for Kome (fabric and rice) primo and also ‘first aid’ pouches if repair should be needed during their journeys.

Los Primos

Hinoki Primo

Seed pouch · Bolsa para semillas

Plants+ Primos have started their travels around Japan. Along with the seeds, they will carry the wishes of those that participate in the exchange. There are, clearly, many parallels implied between seeds and wishes. Lucas is well aware of this. And he has sent his wish along with the Primos as well: ‘I wish I can start a conversation that revolves around plants.’ He’s doing this through Plants+.

Primos en Roosevelt Island, NYC