Ivan Gu
Industrial Designer + Product Innovation
Where ideas take shape.
Making the Desk Less Ordinary
TACTO
2025
THE OPPORTUNITY
Desk accessories are often designed purely around function, while decorative objects add personality without serving a practical purpose. TACTO explores how the two can become one — transforming the familiar form of a cactus into a playful, functional object for the desktop.
Introduce Life
Bring the warmth and character of plants to an otherwise ordinary workspace.
Pin & Display
Keep notes, reminders, and small moments visible and within reach.
Organize
Bring everyday notes together in one playful, functional desktop object.
FORM EXPLORATION
Translating the cactus into a functional note board required balancing character with usable surface area. Different silhouettes were explored to find a form that feels distinctly botanical while remaining simple, approachable, and practical for pinning.
A CONTINUOUS NOTE
TACTO uses a continuous roll of paper instead of individual note sheets. Wrapped into a compact cylinder, the paper naturally takes on the form of a flowerpot while allowing notes to be pulled and torn off as needed.
Kraft Paper
Durable · Tactile · Recyclable
FORM BECOMES FUNCTION
Inspired by the natural structure of a cactus, TACTO reimagines its spines as pushpins and its textured surface as a pinboard. Notes, reminders, and small keepsakes can be pinned freely, turning a playful form into an intuitive everyday function.
Pin
Easy to place and rearrange.
Note
For thoughts worth keeping.
Play
Inspired by the character of a cactus.
01
PINNING SURFACE
Woven textile wraps a soft foam core, creating a tactile surface that securely holds pins, notes, and small keepsakes.
02
CACTUS-INSPIRED PINS
Pushpins reinterpret the cactus spines, turning a recognizable visual detail into a functional part of the design.
03
BASE
The flowerpot-inspired base supports the pinning body while housing the note roll and guiding paper through the side opening.
A LITTLE LIFE FOR THE DESK.
TACTO brings the familiar character of a cactus into the workspace
— a playful desktop object designed to keep thoughts, reminders, and moments close.
