My Journey into Playful Innovation
I’ve always been fascinated by how we connect and collaborate. Growing up in the Netherlands in the 1980s, my childhood was filled with imaginative games, creating elaborate treehouses, and mixing “magic potions” from unlikely ingredients. That sense of curiosity and playfulness never left me. Fast forward to today, and it’s the foundation of everything I do at Playspace.
I didn’t set out to be a Game Thinker. My path began in graphic design, where I spent seven years at Studio Dumbar designing visual identities. This work involved balancing clarity and structure with artistic expression—simplifying complex systems to ensure communication was both engaging and immediately understandable. But something was missing—an element of interaction, participation, and deeper connection. That missing piece clicked in 2010, when I stumbled into the emerging field of gamification. It was like uncovering a treasure chest of possibilities for reimagining how we learn, work, and engage with one another.
From Gamification to Game Thinking
In 2013, I introduced Game Thinking as a curriculum at the Willem de Kooning Academy. It wasn’t just about making things “fun”—it was about transforming interactions by redesigning the systems and rules that shape them. Over the years, I’ve worked with cities, schools, and organizations across Europe to craft workshops, games, and toolkits that inspire better collaboration and connection.
Some of my most fulfilling projects have been with communities tackling systemic challenges. For instance, the PowerUpKit, born out of my research, has helped victims of systemic injustice articulate their needs and frustrations and transforming them into community-supported action. Similarly, working with youth organizations to integrate LARP principles into their trainings has opened up entirely new ways of learning and self-expression.
A Life in Play
Outside of my projects, I surround myself with things that spark curiosity: books, games, play systems, and plants. My studio is a reflection of my mind—filled to the brim with tools and ideas, from rare design books to a meticulously curated token and dice library. It’s a place where ideas are constantly colliding, sparking the creation of new tools, workshops, and ways of thinking.
When I’m not working, you’ll find me playing board games with friends, playfully exploring cities during Urban Playwalks, or diving into sandbox video games like Minecraft or Subnautica. I’m also known to get lost in the stacks of books that line my studio walls. If you’re curious, check out my library, favourite games, or even one of the thematic mixtapes I make.
Collaboration and Curiosity
I believe the best ideas emerge when we bring different perspectives together. I thrive on working together with academic researchers, artists and designers, strategic thinkers and social organisations, to tackle complex questions with a research-by-design approach. What excites me most are long-term projects where there’s time to dive deep—not for quick fixes, but to truly understand, test, and reimagine new ways of working, living, and learning together.
If you’re as curious about exploring new ways to interact, connect, and create as I am, let’s talk. I’m always open to conversations, collaborations, or just sharing a good story over coffee.
Let’s connect or come and visit Playspace.