Football City, Art United was a new exhibition for Manchester International Festival 2025 (MIF25). From sculptures to animations to play arenas, each artwork was a collaboration between legendary footballers and contemporary artists.

The Playmaker was a playable immersive artwork that invited visitors to re-enact their favourite goal-scoring moments. A collaboration between architect Stefano Boeri and footballer Sandro Mazzola, we were commissioned for its manufacture and installation.

Designed as a cluster of three netted pod structures connected by holes and tunnels, the aim of the game was to get the football into the portal and through to the adjoining pod.

We first laid 12mm plywood for the base of the installation, topped with a layer of 18mm plywood for the base of each pod. We manufactured formers lined with 6mm Flexiply to create the undulating curved wall structures, and fabricated steel poles of variable heights that culminated at the same level to meet the steel halo top.

The pods were connected by net tunnels, the back of each goal framed by a steel ring with fittings to feed rope through from one pod to the next, guiding the football’s travel through the tunnel on a successful goal.

Lastly, we fitted the pods with netting to create a contained environment that prevented rogue footballs flying across the space from a misjudged kick.