Super:serios "Far to Close"

Far to Close is a human scale boardgame that explores how urban interactions can bring us closer or can make us distance ourselves in a city. It was developed by Super:Serios at WASP Working Art Space and Production within a artistic residency. The artists invited the public to explore together different directions and stories that compose a city, though a performance-game. 

Super:Serios is a design studio that develops interdisciplinary projects starting from and pursuing playing experiences in close relation to the urban context. Started as a dialogue between a toy designer and an urban architect, super:serious mix the tangible with the digital in their projects in order to research where the games principles and strategies can lead in exploring real contexts.

Super:Serios team members are Maria Mandea, Teodora Ungureanu and Sebastian Comanescu. The concept of the game started from super serious discussions with Diana Michiu and Raisa Parpala.

The artists have developed a game-installation, which allows players to talk about the city in a context as free as possible, without the pressure of a debate. One of the essential rules of the game is to keep your physical distance. Each player must keep a distance of at least one square from any other player. This rule is an essential part of the game because it allows you to block opponents. Distance is no longer just a rule related to the pandemic but a rule of the game and a way to win it.

The game is a human-scale boardgame. It is played in teams, in four players, two in each team. The goal is to cross the city represented by the game board. The team that makes the first exchange of seats wins. The board is divided into 1x2m rectangles. In each turn, each player can advance one rectangle. As players advance, they pass over the illustrations in the rectangles. Telling what they see inside the houses, they tell each other, the way through the city. There are other rules such as the subway squares through which you can jump, advancing faster. Another very important rule is to keep your physical distance. Each player must keep a distance of at least one box from any other player. Thus, there is the possibility to block your opponents and not let them reach the destination before you.

Download the boardgame instructions in the upper right column.

Credits and team:
Maria Mandea
Teodora Ungureanu
Sebastian Comanescu

Working and presentation dates:
01.08 – 01.09.2020: production residency at WASP Working Art Space and Production, Bucharest
28,29,30.08.2020: Open Lab Far to Close at WASP Working Art Space and Production, Bucharest
17.09.2020: Far to Close premiere public presentation, at WASP Working Art Space and Production, Bucharest