PHOENIX, an award-winning design and innovation studio based in Stuttgart and Shanghai, is proud to introduce The Yoyo Book - A Spin Through Creativity. This unique publication celebrates 37 years of creative exploration, design tradition, and the art of perspective-shifting through one simple object: the yoyo. But let's be clear — PHOENIX is not a yoyo maker. Instead, PHOENIX uses the yoyo as a canvas for creativity, a timeless tool to train, inspire, and challenge generations of young designers. Since 1987, every intern at PHOENIX has been given the same simple task: "Design a yoyo." From this humble exercise has emerged a rich collection of interpretations that reflect decades of evolving trends, technologies, and ideas.
At PHOENIX, design is a dialogue between the user and the object, between tradition and innovation. The yoyo represents this philosophy perfectly: an object that spins back and forth, moves through tension and release, and always returns to the hand. This repetitive movement mirrors the iterative nature of design thinking and innovation itself.
Over the years, the yoyo at PHOENIX has been reimagined countless times — from sustainable versions made of recycled plastic to ultralight constructions, even crafted from pasta. Each yoyo is a statement, a creative answer to a common question: How can I make something familiar feel new again?
The Yoyo Book is a curated journey through this ongoing tradition. It features photographs, sketches, and reflections from designers and fresh minds who took on the yoyo challenge. More than a visual archive, the book serves as a metaphor for the PHOENIX approach to innovation: constantly evolving, always open to reinterpretation.
This book is for anyone curious about design, creativity, or how ideas evolve over time. Whether you're a professional, a student, or a design enthusiast, The Yoyo Book offers insight into how one object can become a stage for thousands of perspectives.
With more than 1000 international design awards and a team of 65 experts across two continents, PHOENIX is a leading voice in shaping the future of wellbeing. From product innovation to strategic design, we partner with global brands to develop solutions that improve people's lives.
The Yoyo Book embodies our philosophy — that even the smallest objects can spark big thinking.
Many past interns are now part of the PHOENIX whole staff. And that is because everyone has to begin somewhere, and we seek to retain as many talents as possible within our team.
Some of them are Andreas Diefenbach, who is now the Managing Partner of the Studio. Also, Matthias Oesterle and Moritz Kemper are both Design Directors. Carolin Schmitt is now Principal Design Researcher. Among the seniors are Marlene Kuhn, David Weisskopf, Jona Maletic, Florian Czak, and Marc Szaratta. The list is not yet complete; we also have: Konstantin Wolf, Aditi Surana, Timo Miura, Anna-Marie Kotter, and Adrian Steurer.
We are proud that some of them remain, still work, and continue to grow with us.
