A Soft, Spherical Shelter

Cries and Whispers
(credit: jephsonrobb.com)

A bright sphere the color of a purple crayon is on permanent display at the New York’s Museum of Modern Art. About five feet in diameter, this sculpture titled Cries and Whispers is made of soft felt and has a round opening that beckons the viewer to enter its dark, quiet void. Scottish-born designer, Jephson Robb was inspired to create this womblike pod for his seven-month old niece after her mother, Robb’s younger sister, died of cancer.

Cries and Whispers was a part of SAFE: Design Takes On Risk — MoMA’s 2005 exhibit that featured over 300 products and prototypes designed to shelter the human body and mind from dangerous or stressful situations. From de-mining equipment to baby strollers, the intent behind every piece was to blend safety, comfort and aesthetics into a functional object. With its soft, supple walls Cries and Whispers, a snug shelter for a child dealing with a loss so early in life, fit perfectly into the collection.

Jephson Robb
(credit: architonic.com)

A pillow and blanket fort can turn a rainy day into hours of fun for a toddler. A cardboard box can be a cozy cave with walls to draw on. Small spaces are very appealing to toddlers and young children. Their hideaway can be a portal to the world of imagination, or a soothing place to get away from the big and overwhelming world. In her article “Why Children Love Secret Hiding Places” for juniormagazine.co.uk, Catherine O’Dolan contemplates, “maybe that’s part of the appeal of retreating somewhere small and cosy, where you feel safe and cosseted. Memories of the womb, perhaps? Your child’s enjoyment of tight corners and special spaces begins with the early security of being held closely to you.”

“There’s a human scale in all of my work. It’s got to be about the human condition all the way through. And comfort is central to this.”

–Jephson Robb

Cries and Whispers
(Credit: eyeteeth.blogspot.com)

This safety that the child once felt with her mother was Robb’s intent behind Cries and Whispers. Icon Magazine, a periodical of art and architecture, has described Jephson Robb’s style as having a “serene quality.” Though having first gained recognition for his large-scale sculpture work, it was the philosophy of “comfort and security” behind Cries and Whispers that have led the design of Robb’s award-winning chairs and other designs. “There’s a human scale in all of my work. It’s got to be about the human condition all the way through. And comfort is central to this,” Robb stated in an interview with Simon Keane-Cowell for Architonic.com. With its soft roundness, bright color and inviting opening that expands as the child grows – Cries and Whispers provides a perfect hiding place that is comfortable, quiet and visually pleasing in its simplicity.