EXPLORE THE ENCHANTED WORLD!

GENERAL CONCEPT

When children enter the playground, they have access to an enchanted world, a parallel dimension where they can play and create their own sense of space and time, different from the normal and somehow magic. It’s an opportunity to break the routine of a school day and feel free.

Following the trail which goes through the playground area, children find a variety of “environments” – the mountains, the forest, the lake, the village, the lairs – where they can play using actively both their body and their mind in order to invent stories and adventures.

One of the objective of the project is namely to create a place which stimulates both physical activity and the use of imagination and creativity. This is done using diversity (of spaces and of possible activities) to respond to children’s natural desire to explore, discover and invent.

The variety of spaces and games allows the freedom to try out different kind of activities: from active playing (climbing, swinging, sliding down, crawling, …), to more quiet ways to satisfy curiosity (touching and moving objects, playing and listening to sounds, observing colors, …), or simply to have a break and rest. In this ways children can experience their play time in a comprehensive way, involving all their senses.

The sequence of environments and activities along the trail that goes through the whole area, reflects the different ages of its users: some areas are thought especially for the younger/older ones, while others can be interesting for children of different ages.

PLAYGROUND AREAS

In the Rocky Mountains, car and truck tires are used to create different configurations of the ground. Children can climb on the Dangerous Cliffs (car tires), slide down through the Falls (a sloping tunnel of truck tires with a metal sheet inside), climb up and down the Devils’ Gorge (a structure of eucalyptus logs and tires) and swing on the Lucky Ducks (tires) and on the Swings of the Wind (tires and structure of eucalyptus logs). Is an area of physically active play, thought especially for the younger ones.

The Enchanted Forest is a labyrinth made of halved eucalyptus logs, that children are invited to explore. It contains surprising things such as a Snake (tunnel of halved truck tires) with its Sanke’s Belly (a glade), two Pandas’ Glades, Traps to overcome (barriers of twisted ropes or hanging bike inner tubes), Rattles to play and to listen to (empty pieces of amboo poles hanging from a rope or assembled to make a xylophone). There are also little tables (made of bamboo) and colored eucalyptus logs spread throughout the forest. In this exciting environment children can create their own path through the forest, following one of the spurs it offers: sounds, colors, type of games.
Another attraction of the forest is the Starry Sky, a low sloping roof (covered with banana leaf roof panels) under which children can sit or lay down to rest: when they look up, they can see a number of stars (empty pieces of bamboo logs through which they see the daylight) forming three constellations (elephant, bird, snake). It’s a place where they can rest and learn to observe.
Near the forest there is also a Secret Garden, where bamboo plants grow. Children can plant them, take care of them and see them grow. In this way they learn to feel responsible for a little part of the playground and develop a sense of belonging. Moreover, the garden will produce bamboo logs that could be used both to replace the existing eucalyptus logs, once they are ruined, and to build new games. In this way the forest is self-regenerated (as it happens in reality, too).

Another place to rest is the Village. Here children can find shelter, shadow and a peculiar setting for their games, either in the Tepees (made of eucalyptus logs covered with bamboo leaves), or in the Nests (structures of curved bamboo logs and rope, anchored to the soil and built under the existing trees).

In the Sand Lake children, especially the younger ones, can play with sand or navigate on the Boat and on the Swimming Ducks (both made of tires).

In the Lairs, an area especially thought for the older children, there are two different spaces: one of physical activity called Monkey City (eucalyptus logs structure, tires and bike inner tubes), and one to rest, sit and talk in small groups called Tiger Caves (tires, eucalyptus logs, rope and growing bamboo plants to produce shadow).

SUSTAINABILITY

The construction of the playground is an example of how low tech architecture can be used to improve the everyday life of people, in this case of children. It is an occasion to learn – both for us and for them, the beneficiaries – how to make the most out of simple things, thanks to creativity.

The employed materials are mainly either of local origin (bamboo plants, bamboo and eucalyptus logs) or reused (tires). Not only it was necessary to do so in order to contain costs of materials and labor: it is also something that could be exported where there is enough money for more complex works.

Reused car/truck/bike tires are the main materials along with eucalyptus logs. Total costs are estimated to be 1960 US Dollars.

The playground doesn’t need particular ordinary maintenance. Extraordinary maintenance can be performed once the eucalyptus logs are ruined. For example, those of the Enchanted Forest they can be replaced by the bamboos growing in the Secret Garden. In this way, the playground represents a contribution to spread the idea of reuse and self-regeneration.

MATERIALS AND COSTS

To have more details about materials and costs of each area of the playground, see the chart in the .doc file.

Location