Hay Play reinterprets classic table games

Newly-launched Hay Play takes the Danish brand’s sleek design and colourful attitude to popular table games, from backgammon to chess and yatzy

Two images. Left, a blue and green chess set on a table. Right, a red and blue backgammon set on a table.
Among the latest accessories’ launches from Danish design brand Hay is Hay Play, a new interpretation of classic table games including chess and backgammon by Swedish designer and creative director Clara von Zweigbergk
(Image credit: press)


Hay launches Hay Play, a series of portable, classic table games infused with the Danish brand’s signature sleek and colourful design. The series of three games were created by Clara von Zweigbergk, a Swedish designer and creative director who has been a long-term Hay collaborator, both on products and accessories as well as art direction and brand identity.

Boxes of table games in a pile on a table with dice on them.

(Image credit: press)

The collection includes three individual games: chess, backgammon and yatzy, a popular Scandinavian game based on rolling five dice. Simply created in resin, paper and wood and with portability in mind, the sleek table games are encased in individual colourful boxes containing all the playing elements including slim, colourful boards. 

Colour and playful design have always been key aspects of von Zweigbergk’s work (two things she shares with Hay), and the designer was able to bring her chromatic sensibility to the set, also referencing classic games palettes. The backgammon box features a white, red and blue arrangement, while the chess set comes in a novel combination of blue and teal. The Yatzy set comprises five dice in candy-like green, pink, blue, orange and black, and a minimal pencil for score-keeping. The series adds to a set of poker cards, previously designed by von Zweigbergk for Hay with a minimalist interpretation of the classic playing cards.

A Yatzy table game set on a red surface.

(Image credit: press)

The new series of games is part of Hay’s Fal 2021 launches, including a sofa by Doshi Levien inspired by sartorial details, and accessories by Muller Van Severen, Scholten & Baijings and Danish design studio Phanta Enterprises.

The collection marks a new foray into games by the Danish company, and their patterned boxes are imagined to look great as decorative items around the home. The series, the company explains, was inspired by the increased amount of time spent at home with family and friends during the COVID-19 era and newfound appreciation for screen-free entertainment.

INFORMATION

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Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.