About

Designing play

Our Story

Micul Haos is an evolving collection of playful explorations, artistic expressions, and hands-on investigations that began 13 years ago.

It is a community of the strange, the familiar, and the wonderfully intriguing – a public secret society of beings brought to life through toys, animation, and handcrafted illustration, all approached with a cross-disciplinary spirit intended for the kid in everyone, no matter their age.

Micul Haos is developed by the Super:Serios Collective and was first imagined by designer Maria Mandea in 2012 as a space to explore playfulness and craft through experiments with form, color, and attitude. In 2023, artist and photographer George Marian Preduț joined, bringing his vision to portray these characters as real individuals within their everyday surroundings, weaving Micul Haos into the fabric of urban life.

Behind the playful world of Micul Haos are:

Maria Mandea
Designer

With a deep connection to the world of play, Maria is a designer and artist. She is a co-founder of the play design studio Super:Serios, The Play Institute in Bucharest, and the Laborator Artistic Association. Her expertise in the field is underscored by a PhD focused on Play, and she shares her knowledge as a teacher at the Art of Game Design master program.

George Marian Predut
Photographer

Trained as a textile designer, George now uses the lens of photography to explore and interpret public spaces. His work with Micul Haos brings the characters into the reality of the city, offering a unique perspective on their existence. He is also an integral part of the Super:Serios Collective.

Adding a rich layer of experience to the team is Maria Mandea, Maria’s mother, who brings over 40 years of invaluable expertise in designing and prototyping clothes, costumes, and toys. Her skilled hands and deep understanding of craft are essential to bringing the whimsical world of Micul Haos to life.

From Founder

Adults too should make more time to play. How? That’s more difficult. You often have so much to do that it’s not enough to get bored. One solution is to integrate play into everyday life. Create play space for yourself and others. A form of generosity with your time. And there’s something else: The purpose of play is play. It often goes against the rules of the society we live in. But therein lies the transformative power of play.

Maria Mandea

Founder