sabrina morreale’s pinball machine contains an architectural landscape

sabrina morreale explores different architectural elements and concepts within the form of a pinball machine. the arcade game, uses a steel ball which starts at the top of the machine, following a number of obstacles until it reaches the end of the complex maze. the primary objective of the game is to score as many points as possible. 

the pinball machine

the pinball machine is the one game that demands a constant and relentless collision between the ball (the protagonist) and the play field. it celebrates randomness over strategy, and endurance over attack. sabrina morreale‘s project argues that ‘we adopt a game mentality, because play is a core allegory of cultural production. the designer states that ‘the more you play, the more possibilities you encounter, all the while you hone your skills and develop your agenda, similar to that of an architect.’

inside the pinball machine

the construction which took a whole year to be designed and assembled, includes individual 3D parts  which are used to form three separate levels. the first level is of the fragments, where you gather what becomes a part of your collection. the second level is the ground, where these pieces begin to form a distributed landscape of ideas. the third level is the bridges, with which you connect these landscapes together into one continuous and contained little world.

the pinball structure

 
different elements 

playfield 1

conglomeration of patterns

connecting the ground

bridging between elements

determine your own path 

the construction of the city inside the machine 

overview of the main landscape 

zooming out of history

architectural students using pinball machines

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.