Day 5: Lenses of PLAY

The morning of the final day of Design Week 2011 buzzed as groups worked intently to complete elements of their week's work. For some, this meant the compilation of scrapbook documenting their process and inquiry into play. For others it was the staging of an art piece, or the re-construction of a model in common space.

We gathered in the West Hall at 10am to bring the week’s work back to the community – a PLAYING FAIR, on a small scale. The challenge was clear but open ended – bring an experience to the school community that illuminates the way your group engaged or came to understand the concept of "play."

The Animals group presented on a week of service and observation, highlighting field work at Animal Talk and the Woodland Park Zoo. Photography of the animals they encountered provided the backdrop for stories of observing and learning about animal play behavior.

Sports explored the intersection of big business and play, traveling to Qwest Field, Seahawks workout facility, and to a Sounders FC practice. The group presented on the notion of sport and hosted a wide ranging sports trivia extravaganza.

Improvisation looked at the use of simple common texts as a diving board for improvisational play – they produced a short film based on the ABC’s.

Play Spaces looked at our outdoor spaces and imagined a tool for stretching, working out and developing parkour moves on campus. A one-panel 8-foot model demonstrated the use of simple plumbing pipe and plywood to develop a space that is physically interesting and artistically compelling.

Playing with Words introduced the community to a new board game "Word or No Word" and demonstrated a thrilling example of match play. The game is available for use at BASE.

Gender and Play took the time to ask themselves hard questions about where the sources of gender expectations around play come from. They took classically gender aligned toys to the playground to observe the affiliations between toddler boys and girls, and then began a personal exploration of gender identity through painting and artistic play. The Gender group's final art piece will hang in the West Hall for the remainder of the school year.

Play with your Food looked at some of the ways culinary artists are in the middle of a contemporary playful explosion – staged shows and recipes about party food and cupcakes abound and food competitions dominate reality television. Their vegetable characters and custom designed cupcakes for every PLAYgroup was the hit of the day!

The Paper Toys group examined a history of games made with little more than sheets of paper and creativity. From windmills to fortune telling to oragami, this group learned the stories and cultures of self-made entertainment.

The rare glimpses of sun beckoned us to Ravenna Park for a picnic, a community-wide set of games, and a final act of PLAY for the week.