Opex (The Optical Explorer) is a modular toolkit that makes visual exploration accessible through hands-on assembly and close observation. The kit consists of long-lasting components: reclaimed lenses, trays, holders, and a structural base. Its open, yet defined, format invites play through constraint. Users engage by bringing parts together—through observation and collection. Children are especially encouraged to collect semi-transparent material—and explore it through the lens of curiosity. The assembly becomes part of the discovery: aligning lenses, adjusting light, and understanding how form affects function. Lenses are harvested from discarded electronics and held in place by modular adapters. By reactivating these elements, Opex offers a tool that adapts and evolves with the user, encouraging a tactile relationship with scientific tools. Photography : Leto Keunen
Microscope
by Finn Schumacher
3D printed PLA,
cut glass,
galvanised steel
Working prototype
2025
