Patrick Rylands, London, UK – Patrick Rylands, the celebrated British toy designer known for creating the iconic PlayPlax, passed away at the age of 83 after a battle with vascular dementia. Rylands, who graduated from the Royal College of Art in 1966, was a pioneer in the toy industry. While the market in his time was flooded with battery-operated dolls and action figures, Rylands’ approach was radically different. He sought to strip away the excess, offering children simple, geometric shapes and the freedom to build, create, and imagine. His most notable design, PlayPlax, introduced the world to colorful, translucent squares that could be stacked and interlocked to form endless configurations. His vision of “less is more” in the world of toys was a quiet revolution that challenged the prevailing trends of the day, which often prioritized loud, mechanical toys with predetermined functions.

Unlike the more commercial toys of the time, which often encouraged passive play, Rylands focused on the child’s role in creating their own world. PlayPlax was a tangible representation of his belief that toys should be tools for imaginative exploration, not just objects of entertainment. “The main purpose of a toy is to enable children to enter into a world of make-believe, as it is in this way that children relate to reality,” he once said. His commitment to simplicity and abstraction was not just a design choice, but a philosophy that influenced his entire career. By 1970, PlayPlax had sold more than a million units, a testament to how his unique vision resonated with children and parents alike.

Patrick was born in Hull, East Yorkshire, the son of Ada and Leo Rylands. He was one of five children and attended Marist College, a Catholic grammar school in the city. Though he wasn’t fond of school, his art teacher saw potential in him, encouraging him to pursue a career in art rather than following the alternative path of joining the police. His creativity led him to the Royal College of Art, where he would go on to develop the concepts that would define his legacy. After graduating in 1966, Rylands entered the toy industry at a time when it was dominated by highly detailed, often militaristic designs like the Action Man. However, Rylands was determined to forge his own path, designing toys that were minimalistic and focused on stimulating a child’s creativity and imagination rather than relying on pre-designed narratives.