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DaddiLife

The parenting website for dads

Dad Heroes

The Design Dad

written by DaddiLife 24th May 2016
The Design Dad

Mino is a dad who’s reimagining products, places and spaces – all around his daughter. This ‘Design Dad’ has 3 guidelines to inspire other dads to make a little change in their childrens’ world.

 

The Design Dad

At DaddiLife, we’re always on the look out for inspiring stories of dads doing some incredible things in the dad-world, and when we heard about a dad who re-built a bike, purely around his baby daughter,  we had to find out more.

 

A celebration of new life

The Design Dad

“The biggest moment was the first moment…finally when you hold the baby in your arms…I felt this was going to be the most important thing in my life…where my life now revolved around someone else other than me.” 

A Half Algerian and Half Iranian Brit, Mino lives in Geneva and works as a Design Consultant. His daughter Selma was born on the same day the ancient Persian faith celebrates its new year, regarded as a ‘Celebration of new life.’ Because of birth complications, Mino was the one who got to hold his baby first. A moment he says when he ‘realised this was going to the most important thing in my life.’

And boy he hasn’t taken that responsibility lightly. Since then his creativity has hit hyperspeed!

 

Starting with a bespoke play pen!

The Design Dad

When Selma turned 7 months, Mino noticed that Selma was a lot more subdued at home, especially compared to how she behaved in her daycare. He thought about her need to explore, and how restrictive the bars of a play pen could be. So…he built another one! He took a spare mirror and kitchen bar unit, painted it over with child-safe paint, and added in a number of elements around the space, including a plastic textured carpet. He even had time to find a retro rocking horse which he dismantled, cleaned, repaired and put back together again to add to the pen party.

 

DIY #play pen prototype launched to ecstatic first user. Restored, reworked and reused antique cabinet mirror unit and vintage rocking horse. Both needing some love as they were destined for the trash. Rather than those rigid prison like play pens, I wanted to play around with the concept of semi permeable flexible adventurous space that adapts with with the baby’s age as I find and create new pieces to enhance experience during different stages of development. Connection to outside, natural light, mirror curiosity, contrasting colours & forms, developing spatial awareness and sense of independence. #upcycle #baby

A photo posted by Mino de la Frontera (@mino_de_la_frontera) on Jan 8, 2016 at 5:46am PST

 

Building a custom bike!

The Design Dad

With Spring and Summer in Geneva benefiting from good weather, Mino then built a custom bike to engage Selma’s curiosity with the outside world.  He re-designed the handlebars, gears, front-rack, and rider positioning, and then added a bobike seat to design the optimal ride for Selma. They have travelled far and wide, and it certainly hasn’t disappointed as Mino pointed out to us ‘she get’s frustrated whenever we stop!’

 

Reflecting on my last #bicycle transformation whilst contemplating the #design for my next project. A super cool #mtb with baby seat concept.

A photo posted by Mino de la Frontera (@mino_de_la_frontera) on Jan 29, 2016 at 10:47pm PST

 

Testing the Beast of Selma loving our #bobike seat

A photo posted by Mino de la Frontera (@mino_de_la_frontera) on Apr 23, 2016 at 1:56am PDT

 

His ‘Dad Principles’ 

Mino opened up his thought process to us, and while not everyone is design led like him, his connection with his daughter he says is not about his technical skill, but his willingness to do 3 things consistently:

  1. Be in the moment – ‘A lot of people think exclusively in the past or future – but look at your child, they are in the present.’ Put distractions away and be present in the moment for your children – that’s when you’re on their level.
  2. Share ideas – ‘Life evolves, and I see nurturing possibilities in every situation. I love to share ideas and be open to others. He puts his connection down to wanting to be a creator for his child. Constant sharing and looking for ideas is what keeps his creativity going.
  3. Do the things YOU want to do – ‘I do the things I like to enjoy – however big or small.’ He involves his child in his hobbies, seeing the possibility to educate Selma into what he already likes to do rather than but seeing them as a barrier.

We loved learning about Mino and his approach. He is a true Dad Hero.

The Design Dad

If you want to reach Mino directly or find out more about his bike specs and spaces, he can be reached on mino.babadi@gmail.com or follow him on Instagram.

 

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The Design Dad was last modified: March 16th, 2017 by DaddiLife

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2 comments

Brent - the fitness dad - DaddiLife 20th June 2016 at 3:34 pm

[…] and activities,’ says Brent. ‘For us it was fitness, but for others it could be bike riding, design or something else […]

Reply
The rise of the modern day dad - being a better dad - Here for the modern day daddy through dad jokes, lessons, things to do, and much more 28th October 2016 at 4:03 pm

[…] How one dad redesigned his who home around his daughter’s sense of play […]

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