Royal College of Art's PSP Project

Royal College of Arts PSP Project
6 students from Design Products, Industrial Design Engineering and Interaction Design at the Royal College of Art have designed a landscape of concept furniture derived from the statue-like forms of people sitting, standing or leaning against walls engaged in playing the PlayStation Portable (PSP).

The furniture is designed for use specifically when playing the PSP, and can be tried out during the exhibition.

The cocoon-like nature of the furniture is related to the experience of playing games on the PSP.

Initial inspiration came from observing group play at a barbecue: when still light in the early evening, a group of players put their coats over their heads to create shade and see the PSP's screen better.

Despite not being able to see each other at all, they continued to happily taunt, insult and otherwise interact with each other as is the norm throughout the course of a game.

Later on, we observed people huddled together during play, adopting statue-like poses and postures - some sitting, some standing, some leaning - largely unaware of the party going on around them.

This everyday re-appropriation and simple, utilitarian acts on the part of the players became useful metaphors for what the students found most interesting about the PSP, as well as other devices like it: that they are simultaneously public