Plable, created by 29 year old Yumiko Tanaka, is a table with a normal surface on the topside and an ‘imaginary’ playworld underneath. The idea is that children can build their own playland underneath the table while adults interact by moving objects – a cup of tea or a newspaper – on the topside to trigger events underneath.

Tanaka is a studet on the MA Interaction design course at Londoin’s Royal College of Art and the Plable design won the RCA Society and Thames & Hudson ArtBook Prize 2006 and is currently on the final list of the ‘Design for Our Future Selves Award.’

Of Plable Tanaka says: “Adults and children live in their own imaginary worlds despite the fact that they are living in the same space. Their everyday lives are sometimes incompatible and their physical differences can form separate territories in the same space.

“Plable is a table, which has a normal tabletop and an imaginary world on the underside.
With this table, children can build their own imaginary world on the underside of the table, which is their secret special place, with opposite gravity. Adults can use the surface of the table as usual.

“The movement, such as moving tea cups, that happens on the tabletop will be a trigger of the happenings on the underside. They can show children some exciting tricks and do their own things at the same time.

“The connection of the surfaces gets children and parents together.
It also might help children and adults to play together more often through their normal activities in the everyday environment.”

My questions (obviously): when, where and how much?!

Visit Tanaka’s website to see the intriguing ‘SpyRod’ as well.

Enjoy the ‘Making of Plable’ video below.