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Dapple
2026
Play in adulthood is largely overlooked due to stigma associating it with childishness and escaping "adult" responsibilities, leading to the sacrifice of many neural, social and psychological benefits. One opportunity is to repurpose time and ready frames that are already seen as "wasted" into moments for activity and joy, such as in waiting lines, where we are physically constrained in an in-between, liminal space. Dapple explores how we can transform the existing frame of waiting lines into everyday opportunities for adult play. Dapple is a reimagination of the standard waiting line post-and-belt unit into a modular, interactive stanchion using light, touch and colour to facilitate and encourage adult play. Envisioned in retail and hospitality spaces, Dapple offers open-ended, bite-sized interactions suitable for individuals or groups, and can be reconfigured to different venues.
Materials
Resin, aluminium, LEDs, PLA, sand
Credits
With guidance from Alex Schweder
Product Design, Lighting, Experiential
Dapple features two interaction points. Coloured light modules can be rotated to create ever-changing lighting effects translating across layers. Beads slide across the twisting armature, creating a dynamic and tactile experience. All components are modular and can be reconfigured to suit different venues.
Dapple was born from a series of pop-ups to understand preferences and inclinations across different sensory play themes, from music and sound, to scent and touch, and colour and light. Interactions and feedback were recorded with participant consent. Explorations then followed on creating engaging forms, inclusive proportions, interaction points, joinery and mechanisms, based around the intention of creating bite-sized interactions. Other points of focus were on allowing solo or group play, and construction that would allow portability, recharging, repair, customisability and variation.
