Coo-Create

Coo-create is a customizable educational toy designed to preserve China’s intangible cultural heritage while fostering human-nature connections amid urbanization. Inspired by Chongming Island’s traditional bamboo bird whistle—once used for hunting and now repurposed for bird banding—it reimagines this fading craft as a tool for ecological engagement and cultural revival.



Traditional bird whistles rely on artisanal intuition, requiring decades to master and limited to mimicking 20-30 species. Coo-create dismantles these barriers by merging design with technology. Collaborating with heritage inheritors, we analyzed bird vocal mechanisms through spectral studies and parametric modeling, translating acoustic principles into 3D-printed whistles that precisely replicate calls.



This process was not merely driven by engineering calculations; it involved the designer’s intuition, observation, and understanding of bird physiology, enabling us to explore the relationship between sound and form. Through continuous prototyping and optimization, we developed a parametric design system that automatically generates corresponding whistle structures based on input bird sounds. This system significantly lowers the barrier to creating bird whistles, allowing everyone to easily customize their own. Researchers, educators, and birdwatching enthusiasts can now easily customize their own bird whistles, improving their understanding of birds and promoting awareness of bird protection.



Initially, our goal in designing Coo-create was to create a tool for bird observation and conservation. However, what we did not expect was the tremendous interest that Coo-create sparked among those around us. People began using the whistles not just for bird protection and inspection, but as a means of engaging with nature, connecting with the birds in their environment. This response inspired us to expand the project’s vision. Coo-create is no longer just a tool for research—it has become a playful, educational bridge that connects people to nature.



Coo-create encourages hands-on interaction with wildlife, fostering curiosity, wonder, and a sense of responsibility for conservation. In the future, we hope it will inspire more people to rediscover the simple joy of interacting with nature while contributing to the preservation of intangible cultural heritage and the protection of bird species.