The project grew from their shared love of pinball and a desire to make something beyond commercial client work something that would give them the freedom to play, experiment, and be inspired by every aspect of the medium.

Together, Gavin and Norman bring more than 50 years of experience in the design industry, applying that knowledge to a subject that brings together mechanics, code, design, engineering, illustration, and storytelling in a single piece of entertainment. It’s a strange, complex, wonderfully tactile medium that, in many ways, feels like it shouldn’t still exist and yet pinball continues to thrive.

At a time when physical media is increasingly replaced by subscriptions, digital downloads, and pay-as-you-go services, pinball remains resolutely physical. More than that, it’s experiencing something of a resurgence.

They saw an opportunity to contribute to this niche culture in their own way: to develop a visual language shaped by their individual skills, influences, obsessions, and creative instincts.

Most importantly, PLYFLD™ gives them permission to let the process lead.

Every project starts with an idea, but rarely with a fixed destination. They make things without knowing exactly where they’ll end up, allowing experimentation, accidents, and discovery to shape the final work. Rather than working towards a predetermined outcome, the process itself becomes part of the work.