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Keita Takahashi, the inimitable game designer behind the Katamari Damacy series, is to design a children’s playground in the UK city of Nottingham.
The local council’s approval of the plans were announced on Wednesday at the GameCity festival – an annual event which celebrates the cultural impact of gaming’s past and present.
As GameCity’s core purpose is to transform Nottingham into a national gaming hub for five lively days, Takahashi-san’s new architectural project is perhaps a full realisation of that ambition. His new playground – highly likely to be as iconoclastic as his previous works – will remain a permanent fixture in the city.
“Of all the things we’ve done over the last four years, this is the project that’s most important to me personally,” said Iain Simons, Director of GameCity.
“In terms of GameCity playing a real role in the life of Nottingham, this is as good as it gets.”
Takahashi, whose most recent work was the PSN game/toy Noby Noby Boy, will brainstorm with local communities and schoolchildren over the next month on the design of the playground.
One of his personal ideas is to design a slide that can be used by children, adults and even dogs.
“We’re delighted to have Takahashi-san on board,” said Nottingham City Councillor Dave Trimble, “and very much looking forward to working with him on this unique collaboration.”
