The Interplay Backgammon Board explores heritage through a contemporary lens, transforming one of the world’s oldest strategy games into a dialogue between craft, computation, and play. Bringing together designer Nada Debs, marquetry artisan Nabil Haswani, and creative coder Anna Lucia, the project reimagines an ancient craft through generative design while remaining deeply rooted in the handmade process.

Rather than simply replicating traditional marquetry patterns, the custom algorithm was developed by studying the craft’s structural logic, material constraints, and methods of assembly. By learning the rules that make each composition feasible, the system generates endlessly unique designs that introduce an element of controlled randomness to a craft traditionally defined by repetition and geometric order.

The result expands the visual language of marquetry while remaining true to its process. Each composition is meticulously handcrafted by Haswani using the same process he has practiced for over five decades. An accompanying online platform extends the project beyond the physical object, allowing anyone to generate their own one-of-a-kind backgammon board online.

“I’ve always believed that technology should serve craft, not replace it. Interplay is the result of a conversation between different disciplines, where ancient craft techniques informed the algorithm, and the algorithm, in turn, opened new creative possibilities for the craft. It is about bringing these disciplines into dialogue to ensure that these heritage crafts continue to evolve and remain relevant for the future,” concluded Nada Debs.

Interplay continues Nada Debs’ ongoing exploration of how traditional craftsmanship can evolve without losing its essence. By embedding the intelligence of marquetry into code, the project opens new creative possibilities while preserving the knowledge, materiality, and human hand at the heart of the craft.