APD Play and Place - Snap Discs

Theme: Play and Place

Context:
I have often used a city's architecture/layout as an analogy to describe the distinction between the formalised aesthetics of play versus the radical plasticity of real play. Cities will typically have formal play spaces such as skateparks, playgrounds, ovals etc. These formal play spaces, if left unchallenged, begin to define and indeed shrink our vocabulary of play to their formalised aesthetics. That is to say, we start to feel that the only ways to play are to; swing on swings, slide on slides, walk in parks, skate on ramps. Or how Margie Sanderson (2020) puts it “the creation of these designated play spaces has inadvertently reduced tolerance for informal play outside these boundaries”. This is ridiculous of course as there are quite literally infinite ways we can play, and in whatever spaces we like. It is difficult then to design spaces for play without your project falling into formalised aesthetics of play.

When I was playing Helen and Chad's Rainbow Paths in front of the State Library Victoria, one of the nodes instructed me to close my eyes and listen in on the city around me. One of the first things I noticed was how many people there were on their skateboards, and that I was standing there with my eyes closed in their way. I thought it was interesting that this formalised, playful installation was intruding on these skaters' informal rituals of play. I wondered if it'd be possible to design an object like a skateboard, that could be used in an informal way around various parts of the city. How could I design something that encourages people to reinterpret their surroundings, but that's also more accessible (read: less dangerous) than a skateboard for most people.

I am inspired by Flip the City by Quentin Stevens and Reality Headset by Stefan Hunt and Ruby Mathers. These works use basic cut out objects as lenses to reinterpret and play with the environment around you. One idea I have is a monster capture game. Players are given a disc with a hole in the centre, and are tasked to capture certain objects in the disc. To capture something, the play must simply line up the object so they can see the full thing through the hole in the disc. The player must then clap their hands together to trigger the capture, meaning they must first throw the ring into the air to free their hands. I think this might work best as a competitive multiplayer game, with players racing to be the first to capture all the objects on a list. I think the competitive element might make players lose themselves in the experience and move through and observe the place around them in a new way.

Method:
I created a new toy that is designed to be played in public spaces. The toy is created from a frisbee with a hole cut into the centre. There are also several stickers along the rims on both sides detailing how to use the ring. The game can be played solo, however, it is best played with 2 or more players competing for the best time.

Instructions:

• Note the list of things to find on the inside rim of the disc

• Search for these things, looking through the hole in the ring like a lens

• When you find a thing, you must “capture” it

• To capture a thing, first toss the ring into the air to free your hands

• With the thing still in sight through the ring, clap your hands to “capture” it

• Compete with friends or make up your own rules

• When you’re done playing, throw the ring off in a random direction to be discovered by the next person (and in a new space)

This game is designed to be played in any public space, suddenly transforming a space into something that is played with. Tossing the ring when you are finished playing allows the game to organically perpetuate through various public spaces. The shape and colour make the toy discoverable and alluring.

Response:
Introducing the Snap Disc, a new toy designed to be played in social spaces. Self-contained, alluring and spreadable. Snap Discs contain instructions for how to play along their edges.

Reflection:
With this project I set out to create Skateboard 2.0. Like a skateboard, I wanted to create an object or toy that was alluring and could be used to transform any space into a place of play. An object with wheels may be too dangerous, so I thought about how to capture the same transformative power into an object that was more approachable. 

One thing that I feel isn’t very strong with this work is the actual game played with the discs. The procedure you need to follow isn’t very intuitive and there is little opportunity to imbue the instructions with narrative metaphors to help describe your actions. I can see this being a point of issue as the disc is otherwise a self-contained experience. On the plus side, the alluring colour and shape of the discs is a really strong element that improves their discoverability and helps encourage engagement. Additionally, the affordance of the discs to be thrown leads to a beautiful cycle of organic sharing and spreading across a city.

As of writing this I also haven’t had the chance to play Snap Discs with other people and see how they respond to the instructions and games. One thing that I did notice with my own playing was that when focused on the task of “capturing” things, you are less likely to regulate the volume of your claps. I think this is a great element that pairs with these colourful objects being tossed into the air. You can imagine stumbling upon a group of people playing, first following the sound of irregular claps then seeing the colourful discs. I feel this is another element of discoverability and organic spreading Snap Discs affords. Even if people don’t engage with the discs directly, witnessing others play and picturing the kind of game they might be playing is part of opening all spaces to play.