Since the “The Land” documentary and Hannah Rosin’s piece in the Atlantic on the overprotected child, alot of people are talking about adventure playgrounds in the United States. We’ll see where all that leads, but someone who is actually DOING adventure play, and has been for years, is Alex Gilliam, whose Public Workshop organization enables disadvantaged teens to design and construct their own adventurous playscapes. Public Workshop’s latest project at the Western School of Science and Technology in Phoenix Arizona uniquely connects play design to the STEM curriculum: at a non-wealthy, public charter school. In the context of 45 minute class periods. So don’t tell me it can’t be done. The playground was placed in a transition area between the lower and upper schools to build community between the age groups, and constructed with parental involvement. Adventurous on so many levels!
P.S. You can support Public Workshop by making a purchase from the Building Hero Product Store: beautifully designed objects made by members of a young adult community design leadership and entrepreneurship program in Philadelphia.
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