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Playground Nests, Kukuk, 2004-2014
It happens only rarely that I am impressed with a firm’s entire body of playground work. But Stuttgart-based Kukuk, founded in 2004 by Bernhard Hanel and Robin Wagner, takes the timber constructions...
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Tilts on the Playground, Kukuk, 2004-2014
Playgrounds-should-not-be-flat means firstly utilizing or creating an interesting ground topography, but secondly it means bending and tilting the surfaces of the constructed parts of the playground to...
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Take Your Children to the Park (and leave them there) Day, May 18
Saturday, May 18 is the 4th Annual “Take Our Children to the Park…and Leave Them There Day” as organized by Lenore Skenazy of Free Range Kids. I hope you find a fabulous playscape for your own...
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Rocket Ship Playground, George W. Nebinger, Philadelphia
Throwback Thursday…thanks to reader Yischon for sending a photo of the ‘Lunar Command Module’ at George W. Nebinger School in Philadelphia! Up until the playground renovation in 2013 it was still a...
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From our correspondents…
While I finish writing a grant application on electroactive polymers (!) do take some time to peruse the great recent posts by our Playscapes correspondents… Eloise (France) visits the wonderful Jean...
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Play Sculpture by Hans Henrick Ohlers
Danish artist Hans Henrick Ohlers makes lovely organic playground sculptures out of reinforced concrete over polyurethane forms. His best known installation, the inside-outside climbable “White Tube”...
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‘The Mollusc that ate the Harbour Bridge’, Dan Stewart-Moore, Sculpture by...
Hans’ snail shells reminded me of this great sculpture by Dan Stewart-Moore displayed at Biondi Beach in 2007…who says there aren’t new playground forms waiting to be discovered? Yes to a snail...
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Vintage Playground Equipment Catalogs from the Building Technology Heritage...
For Throwback Thursday, thanks to reader Mike for letting me know about the great vintage playground equipment manuals archived at the Building Technology Heritage Library, a project of the Association...
View ArticleCellar Door slide
Thanks to reader Conuly for the tip on a linguistic analysis of the ‘cellar door’ slide reference…fascinating reading. An 1894 song went “Say, say, oh playmate, Come out and play with me And bring...
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Boulders done right in natural playgrounds by Kukuk
The grant is in, so it is back to playgrounds (and sleeping…shout out to the National Science Foundation who really could simplify their process…’only’ 110 hours this time and that’s a personal best!)...
View ArticleRFP for Natural Playground from Children’s Harbor Montessori School
And speaking of RFP’s…the Children’s Harbor Montessori School in New York got in touch with their RFP for a natural playscape: 10,000-13,000 s.f., for kids 2-6, submissions by July 11. Get in touch...
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Equipamentos Extraordinários, Basurama, São Paulo Brasil, 2014
I’m always impressed at Basurama’s ability to maximize both the play AND design possibilities of ordinary materials…their construction of cable spools and climbing nets was an urban intervention for...
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Guldberg Town Square Playscape, Nord Architects Copenhagen, 2011
Hans Ohler’s “white tube” sculpture isn’t the only great play feature in the Guldberg town square of Sjællandsgade in the Nørrebro section of Copenhagen. I also like the way this scheme, by Nord...
View ArticleCall for Artists: San Diego Beachfront Playscape
Are you a playful artist? No official RFP on this one but a group in San Diego is looking for LOCAL community artist collaborations for their upcoming beachfront playscape development. Once again, get...
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Tower Water Play, Petter Ljungberg, Södertälje, Sweden
Most outdoor water play installations are horizontal and require a lot of space. Petter Ljungberg‘s installation reminds of the possibilities of vertical water play–more easily inserted into smaller...
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Star Wars “Return of the Jedi” Backyard Playground, 1984
I’m fascinated by the “4-sound electric console” (wow! 4 whole sounds!) of this 1984 “Return of the Jedi” Star Wars playground climber. Did anyone have one of these? I was nowhere near cool enough....
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MobiVersum Play Landscape, J Mayer H, Volkswagen Wolfsburg, Germany, 2014
The Empire strikes back with the starship worthy ‘Mobiversum’ by architecture firm J. Mayer H. They’ve used their characteristic thick lines (all their work looks like it was drawn with a really fat...
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Indoor ‘Parents Retreat’ Playscape, Clare Cousins, Melbourne Central
I don’t feature that many indoor playspaces, but since we’ve started things off with the Mobiversum…on a much smaller scale, see the inspirational play elements designed by Australian firm Clare...
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Puckelboll Stockholm, opening June 27, 2014!
The world is getting a new Puckelboll pitch and you’re invited! Stockholm’s own playing-field-as-art-installation will be inaugurated on June 27 to become only the world’s second, after Malmo‘s....
View ArticleCall for Artists, Waterfront Seattle, Deadline July 8!
Seattle is seeking an artist/team to create a public artwork that engages play as both theme and activity, and the site as well as the history of art and play. $25k for conceptual design, leading to a...
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