Our Story


3DuxDesign is a true family business. Growing up in the Klein household required a good bit of creative thinking and improvising. Every year, holiday gift-giving had one rule: 

"The best gifts are made with our hearts, our hands, and any materials already in the house.  They are not bought at a store."

So while millions would flock to stores seeking the best Black Friday deals, the Klein kids would rummage through the recycling bin for raw materials and head into the basement for extra cardboard boxes to start constructing gifts. It was truly amazing to watch odds and ends transformed into townhouses, parking garages, pinball machines, Kitty-Kingdoms and Hamster Havens. Yes, even the family pets were involved.

The 3Dux ethos is that the best gift we can give our children is an active imagination and the freedom to create. Without pre-set rules and instructions (conspicuously absent from our modeling kits), children will learn to improvise, experiment, fail, reexamine, and succeed.  These are the skill sets that will aid them through life challenges.

With the 3DuxDesign Architectural Kits we encourage your children to experiment with form, function, creativity and deductive thinking.  Our curricula extend from k4 through middle school and are based on design thinking and engineering concepts with a focus on community, communication, empathy, and creating a sustainable world.  We challenge kids think about how good design can make a better future
 3duxdesign founders high school teen entrepreneurs Ayana and Ethan Klein


Meet the creators

Ayana Klein

Co-founder, 3DuxDesign

Junior, Olin School of business, Washington University, St Louis


Ayana was born an artist. An avid lover of music, dance, 3D modeling and drafting, she was inspired by a summer architecture program at Columbia University, and soon after, developed the concept for 3DuxDesign. 


"During my summer program, I learned how much more engaging STEM learning can be when softened by bringing in art, design, imaginative play and challenges that are applicable in the real world." 


Ayana has been building the 3Dux learning  platform over the past 4 years with a goal to support STEM learning in communities around the world with limited access and to foster an awareness of the diversity in communities and cultures across the globe. She spend winter break 2019-2020 in Haiti, teaching children in the Kay Ang Orphanage. She is currently spearheading the Global Futures Design Lab where students use 3Dux materials as they imagine, design, build and showcase their ideas and visions for a better future. 


Ayana is currently a senior at Washington University in St Louis, and matriculated into the Olin School of Business to learn the business skills needed to continue to grow 3DuxDesign. She is minoring in architecture both to help create 3Dux content and because it is still her passion. She envisions a career in a discipline where she can blend her love of the arts with her talents in math and science to create new products that will help solve today's problems and keep our planet green. 


Ethan Klein

Student, Guitarist

Co-founder, 3DuxDesign


Ethan, Design Engineer and Production Manager is currently a freshman in the Northeastern Uni varsity School of Engineering. He is already proficient in CAD and complex modeling, 3D printing, and CNC routing. He is also engaged in mentoring younger students, be it teaching STEM fundamentals with 3DuxDesign materials or guitar with the youth at the community center a few  blocks away from the 3DuxDesign workshop.


"For me, learning anything, be it creative writing, complex 3D modeling, or entrepreneurship is so much more interesting and rewarding when there's real context and purpose." 


Ethan's other passions include music and woodworking, He hones all of these skills by making furniture, guitars and skateboards.  



Marci Klein, M.D. / 

Pediatrician, NYU,  Medical School Clinical and fellowship in Academic Pediatrics

Product Development Consultant 3DuxDesign


Marci, brings over 20 years of experience as an NYU Medical School-trained clinical and academic pediatrician. With a solid understanding of child development, safety and health issues, she has helped gear the product design to be highly engaging, educational and developmentally appropriate. She is also Chief Assistant to the Principals (job was formally titled Schlepper).

Support Staff


David Klein

Human Resources Consultant. Helps to make sure the company has a strong foundation, is a positive working environment, and resolves all Tweetle Beetle Battles between the principals and (maternal) support staff. 


High top and Voodoo

Quality Control Officers. Their duty is to make sure the cardboard models are structurally are stable, fun to play in, and make great scratching posts. Goosebumps, the family gecko, is a silent partner.  

Meet the 3DuxDesign creators and get a private factory tour!

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stem with friends remote playdates

3DuxDesign wants to help keep kids connected. let us host a STEM With Friends Remote Playdate. Send each friend a kit and we will schedule a free design/build activity for you  and 5-10 of your besties  

Contact marci@3duxdesign.com for details

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