Playfool's 'The Server' Turns Data Center Cleaning Into a Game at V&A

The Server, an interactive game installation by the art-design team of Daniel Coppen (UK/SG) and Saki Maruyama (JP), was commissioned by the V&A Museum as part of its Emerging Designer Commission. Located at the V&A in South Kensington, London, this exhibit will be available until October 18th, 2026. Visitors engage as cleaners in a data center, utilizing an actual data center vacuum to eliminate digital dust from a sculptural server. This piece draws a parallel between the upkeep of data centers and museum conservation, highlighting the often-ignored manual work involved. The project credits include sound designer Matteo Bandi, fabrication by Art & Assembly, and curator Carrie Chan, among others, and references Mierle Laderman Ukeles' maintenance art.