PLAY DATE OBJECTS

Name(s) of graduate(s):

Melanie Gloria Wisser

2026

HfG Karlsruhe

Produktdesign

Diplom

Description

PLAY DATE OBJECTS illustrate the potential of free play to enable new forms of interaction. They were created within the study series PLAY DATES, which aimed to investigate how free and purposeless play from childhood can be made accessible again in adulthood despite social inhibitions and a lack of spaces for it. Play only unfolds its greatest effect when done together. In a group or as a couple, it is easier for adults to break through societal norms and the pressure to appear disciplined and controlled. Shared play situations create safety, reduce inhibitions, and encourage people to allow their own play instinct again. Especially in togetherness, situations arise in which playful behavior is not only accepted but reinforced. Just like in childhood, connections are formed through shared fun, divided experiences, and playful movements in the same rhythm.