Playfool is a collective established by Daniel Coppen (UK) and Saki Maruyama (JP). Both graduates from the Royal College of Art, their work employs play as a mediator to intervene in the relationship between humans and technology.
Spanning across the realms of product, installation and multimedia, their work blends thorough research, new technology, and thoughtful aesthetics into playable experiences.
Playfool’s works have been widely exhibited at institutions such as Victoria & Albert Museum in London and MAK - Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna.
Dezeen Awards 2021, Product Design, Highly Commended: Forest Crayons
Dezeen Awards 2021, Product Design, Public Vote Winner: Forest Crayons
Wood Change Camp, Best Camp Award: Forest Crayons
IxDA Interaction Awards 2019, Finalist: Knotty
Gugen 2018, Grand Prize: Knotty
Good Design Award 2018, Awarded: PLAYFOOL Workshop
Lexus Design Award 2018, Shortlisted: Lulu
V&A – Make Good: Rethinking Material Futures, 2022: Forest Crayons
Wood Change Challenge, Tokyo, 2021: Forest Crayons
MAK - Austrian Museum of Applied Arts, Austria, 2019: Multiple works
Milan Design Week, Italy, 2019: Multiple works
Mini Maker Faire Ogaki, Japan, 2018: Knotty
London Design Week, UK, 2018: Knotty
YFood London Food Tech Week, UK, 2017: HALF / FULL
Dezeen, 2021: Forest Crayons
Input Mag, 2021: Playfool YouTube
Dezeen, 2018: Knotty
AXIS Magazine, Japan, 2018: Knotty
Elle Decor, Spain, 2018: HALF / FULL
TABI LABO, Japan, 2018: HALF / FULL
La Vie Magazine, Taiwan, 2017: HALF / FULL
Dezeen, 2017: HALF / FULL
2015 - 2017: Global Innovation Design, Royal College of Art, UK
2012 - 2015: Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London, UK
2016 - 2018: Innovation Design Engineering, Royal College of Art, UK
2010 - 2014: Law and Political Science, Keio University, Japan