After School Club
Playful and Interactive Event Styling
Every creative project teaches you something new and for me, After School Club was a full-circle moment. Created for the City of Joondalup’s annual Joondalup Festival, this project marked my first time designing and building large-scale event props and it just so happened to be held at my old stomping grounds, St Stephens Duncraig.
Talk about a throwback!
The space became a vibrant explosion of 90s nostalgia filled with colour, texture and familiar icons from childhood. It was a love letter to the playful side of creativity, to the games, doodles and daydreams that shaped us long before deadlines and design briefs did.
Inspiration: Childhood Games and Schoolyard Magic
The concept was simple: bring back the energy of being a kid again. I wanted to create an installation that captured the feeling of walking into an art room or school disco; the chaos, the curiosity, the sense that anything could happen.
Drawing inspiration from 90s pop culture and schoolyard games, I recreated the objects that defined a generation: Furbys, Rubik’s Cubes, Chatterboxes, colourful hanging slinky mobiles and reflective CD walls that scattered rainbow light across the room.
It wasn’t about precision or polish; it was about joy, memory, and the raw fun of creating something that made people smile instantly.
Process: From Idea to Giant Props
This was my first dive into the world of event prop building and it came with a huge learning curve! I experimented with materials, scale and durability, figuring out how to make pieces that were bold, sturdy, and still whimsical.
Each prop was handmade and supersized to feel surreal yet familiar. The giant Furby became the star; fuzzy, bright and just the right amount of creepy-cute. Rubik’s Cubes were stacked like sculptures, painted in those classic 90s colours and light up by disco lights. The Chatterboxes were made from large card sheets, and scattered over tables for people to play with. On one end of the room the slinkies hang from the roof and CDs decorated the walls, twisting in the light and throwing bursts of colour across the space. The room was filled with a low-tech, high-vibe reminder of simpler times.
By the end of setup, it felt like a 90s daydream brought to life; playful, chaotic and perfectly nostalgic.
The Final Experience: Colour, Chaos, and Connection
When the After School Club opened its gates, the room came alive. People stepped inside and were immediately transported; laughing, pointing out memories and taking photos with the giant props.
It was especially surreal to see students, families and teachers exploring the installation inside the same school where I once studied. That mix of nostalgia and creativity created this beautiful energy, a shared experience between generations, all sparked by a few oversized objects and a whole lot of colour.
What made it most special was the community connection. It reminded me that art doesn’t have to be distant or serious, it can be fun, familiar, and accessible. It can make people feel something instantly, without needing to explain why.
The Takeaway: Play as a Design Philosophy
After School Club reminded me that play isn’t just for kids it’s a design tool, a connector and a mindset.
Since then, that philosophy has become a cornerstone of Design by MINK. Whether it’s a festival, public activation, or brand installation, I approach every project with the same spirit of curiosity and joy; creating spaces that encourage people to touch, laugh, move, and remember what wonder feels like.
