Tag Archives: playground

Volcanic lava and its flow helped inspire the design for this eye-catching Magma-themed playground

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If “The Floor Is Lava” were a proper, legit game (not with real lava of course), I imagine it would look exactly like the Magma Flow park in Ningbo, China. Designed by 100 Architects, a Shanghai-based outfit specializing in combining street art with landscaping and urban intervention, the Magma Flow adds a brilliant pop of color to an otherwise concrete-themed neighborhood. The design of the park as well as the color themes take direct inspiration from the flow of magma from a volcano. The park’s floor is colored with red, orange, and yellow pathways that intersect and ebb and flow in organic shapes, like liquid magma, creating the kind of dynamism that just makes parks so much more fun than a simple slide, swing, and sand-pit. The park sits at 1,350 square meters in the second-most populous city in Zhejiang Province, with a population of 3.9 million people.

Designer: 100 Architects

The park adds a pop of vibrancy to the neighborhood, grabbing your attention from even afar, and boosting your energy as you walk past. It features spaces for children to play in as well as for adults to lounge in, with accessibility kept in mind too, thanks to the use of ramps. The Magma Flow is what 100 Architects call a “neighborhood intervention”, or a space that impacts not only the immediate surrounding urban environment, but rather the urban dynamics of a whole neighborhood, becoming an urban landmark and a local attractor of social interactions in a given neighborhood.

The park’s design is wonderfully age-agnostic, with places that children, as well as adults, can congregate and enjoy. You’ve got the conventional swing, slide, seesaw, and merry-go-round, but there’s even a jogging trail for adults, coupled with an obstacle course that’s timeless, and lounging areas from which parents can sit and observe their kids.

A life-size tic-tac-toe game allows teens and adults to enjoy too!

The park feels like an explosion of color – an approach that 100 Architects is known almost too well for with their work. Their Lollypop Street in Shanghai, and Octopus Kingdom in Shenzhen follow a similar, vibrant color palette, turning urban spaces into visual fantasies that engage the senses.

The park comes to life at night, with ample lighting to ensure that people can have fun and congregate post-sunset too. Shaded areas protect people from the sun during the day, but provide a nice canopy at night with lighting, that also shelters people during the rain. Scroll to the bottom to see a complete layout of the park, which even includes two amphitheaters for all sorts of performance arts.

The post Volcanic lava and its flow helped inspire the design for this eye-catching Magma-themed playground first appeared on Yanko Design.

The Cuddly Playground is a large public art where children are free to explore

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The Cuddly Playground BUDCUD and Iza Rutkowska

The Cuddly Playground is a place where kids can go wild. Of course, you can say it’s just another playground for the children, but this one is different. The concept alone is entertaining as it tells the story of Kayko and Kokosh with Cuddly the dragon. This public space is inspired by the animated series created by a resident of Sopot, Poland, who has become famous for his comic book series.

BUDCUD teamed up with Iza Rutkowska to make the playground concept a reality. The project is of a playground and public space that can be considered as public art. It takes advantage of creative spatial forms and practical design that deliver a playful narrative.

Designers: BUDCUD + Iza Rutkowska

The Cuddly Playground BUDCUD and Iza Rutkowska 15

 

The Cuddly Playground BUDCUD and Iza Rutkowska

The designers’ inspiration for the playground was the Mirmiłowo village, where the characters Kajko and Kokosz live. It features green wooden beams shaped like a silhouette of Cuddly the dragon. The Cuddly Playground features different zones where children can play and develop their psychomotor skills. The whole place is meant for the development and enjoyment of the children and even the adults who will be looking after them.

The Cuddly Playground is an exciting space for children who like outdoor adventures. Its total floor space is 274sqm, large enough for many children to enjoy the playground. If you’re familiar with the animated series, you will notice a lot of elements like the Slavic warriors at the entrance. There is the Mirmiłowo area where they can jump on the trampoline or swing on wooden platforms. Climb up the hill made of stumps and go down the slide. There are rubber EPDM surfaces on different areas in the playground for kids’ safety.

The Cuddly Playground BUDCUD and Iza Rutkowska

The Cuddly appears to be a large sculpture that you can play and interact with. The playground is meant to be explored by the bid kids and adults. Feel free to do anything like climb, slide, drum, jump, and swing. You’ll never run out of activities to do—the only limit is your imagination.

BUDCUD has described the Cuddlly as a sensory stimulation toy. It offers different kinds of experiences and learning, allowing kids to learn color composition and haptic experiences in other areas. Inside the belly of the creature is a cave that can be accessed through the tail. There is a net platform where the children can rest and lounge once they’re tired of playing.

The Cuddly Playground BUDCUD and Iza Rutkowska

The Cuddly Playground BUDCUD and Iza Rutkowska

The Cuddly Playground BUDCUD and Iza Rutkowska

The designers made sure the playground is environment-friendly with sustainable materials and elements. Even the rubbers surfaces are “green” as they are made of fine wood chips. Everything about the Cuddly Playground allows kids to exercise their creative cooperation skills and practice imagination.

The Cuddly Playground BUDCUD and Iza Rutkowska

The Cuddly Playground BUDCUD and Iza Rutkowska

The Cuddly Playground BUDCUD and Iza Rutkowska

The Cuddly Playground BUDCUD and Iza Rutkowska

The Cuddly Playground BUDCUD and Iza Rutkowska

The Cuddly Playground BUDCUD and Iza Rutkowska

The post The Cuddly Playground is a large public art where children are free to explore first appeared on Yanko Design.

This Nike playground is constructed with 20,000 upcycled sneakers!

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Nike is one of my favorite brands for several reasons – they always make the user the hero in all that they do, capture emotion effortlessly, and inspire millions with simple words apart from making really good products! This September, they unveiled a basketball court that was made with 20,000 upcycled sneakers that were donated by the local community which showed their commitment to a zero-carbon and zero-waste future. Nike is truly a trendsetter when it comes to brands giving corporate responsibility the same weight they give to their design and community!

The brand has moved towards sustainability and corporate responsibility one project at a time which sets an example for other large companies to protect the environment. Nike’s community playground and basketball area are located in New Belgrade, Serbia. This latest move showcases the company’s mission to encourage physical activity, foster community, and develop infrastructure in less sustainable ways. London-based creative agency Accept & Proceed designed MTZ Blok 70 – the basketball court – has previously worked with Nike’s “Move to Zero” initiative too.

Accept & Proceed is a certified B Corporation studio, they designed the renewal of Block 70 carefully because it is a historical area that saw the rise of several basketball pros. Community pride in this connection is seen in the “BLOK 70,” printed in original typeface, on the surface of the courtyard. They came up with the plans for the court design, children’s playground, bleacher benches, chain link fence, outdoor gym, collection bins, in-store campaign presence, and restoration of existing elements.

“With Nike Belgrade, we evolved the visual language we had developed for Nike’s ‘Move to Zero’ identity by incorporating bespoke Serbian lettering in the court markings to celebrate New Belgrade’s local community,” said Nigel Cottier, Accept & Proceed’s principal designer. “We had an interesting exercise that challenged our thinking of spaces for sport: what if we break down the essential ingredients of a basketball court and reimagine the traditional court layout? How can we create a fun and unexpected space, whilst retaining legibility and playability? It was fascinating to come up with the different elements of lettering that can inform another function, like a free throw or half-court line, and even more exciting to think that the design will not only inform the players’ movements but influence the community spirit and energy of Block 70.”

With a focus on community and activity, the park reflects the need to be environmentally conscious through the use of 20,000 recycled sneakers in the mix. In fact, the community was involved in the program all along with collection spaces for citizens to drop used shoes. At the drop sites, the community could see the steps involved in transforming the shoes into a material that could be used for the surface of the resulting basketball court and playground.

“It’s no understatement that helping the world’s best sports brand with its sustainability initiative makes me feel immensely proud of the work we’re doing at Accept & Proceed,” said Matthew Jones, Accept & Proceed’s creative director. “Our visual identity for Nike’s ‘Move to Zero’ brand came to life within our court and playground design in New Belgrade and I feel incredibly inspired to know that design, community and responsibility towards our planet were all integral elements in this project. Moreover, to witness and be part of the meaningful connections between Nike and local communities shows a new way forward, especially for the role of designers — a sowing of the seeds for an active future and better tomorrow.”

Designer: Accept & Proceed

The world’s first 3D-printed parkour playground was made with recycled concrete!

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We see 3D-printed architecture all the time now, but then Czech Republic-based organization Buřinka thought outside the box and literally took 3D printing outside to create a parkour playground!  The 3D-printed parkour playground is the first of its kind constructed from recycled concrete and other eco-friendly construction materials. Parkour is the activity or sport of moving rapidly through an area, typically in an urban environment, negotiating obstacles by running, jumping, and climbing so the structure was made to be durable and resistant to urban climate.

Designer: Buřinka

Buřinka also made the country’s first 3D-printed house, is adding to its list of 3D construction innovations with a new project. This is a joint project between the private sector, the public sphere, and research ventures. Spanning 14 by 12 meters in size, the parkour playground uses cast rubber for the impact area with individual obstacles made of concrete. Obstacles are printed on a frame printer with materials from Master Builders Solutions CZ to highlight safety and strength. The foundations are printed out of recycled concrete, known as rebetong, in collaboration with researchers from the Brno University of Technology.

The playground, which is designed by Buřinka architect Daniel Samek, is set to open at the end of September 2021 and will be included in the new leisure area at Kupecký Elementary School in Prague. Samek said he was drawn to the project for its accessibility, as parkour doesn’t require any expensive equipment and can be enjoyed by both children and adults. “The playground that is now being created is unique in that it works with rounded shapes,” said the architect. “It brings a revival to parkour.”

In an industry facing many challenges, such as worker shortages and rising building materials, Buřinka maintains that robotics and 3D printing could provide necessary solutions among Czech construction companies. “Housing does not mean just four walls,” said Libor Vošický, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Buřinka. “It is also essential to have a possibility to spend free time outdoors, safely, close to home. There are many playgrounds for preschoolers, but older children don’t have many options, so we decided to use innovative 3D printing technology to create a parkour playground. At the same time, we want to confirm the benefits of using recycled concrete called rebetong. It is another milestone in the use of this innovative technology.”

This doghouse that doubles up as a modular sofa has been designed for millennials and their pets!

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Our pets are a lot more than simply ‘our pets’, they’re our best friends, family, and constant companions. And my two fluffy Persian cats are like my babies! My ultimate aim in life is to keep them happy and satisfied, and I’m sure that’s the case with most pet owners. We want to give our pets the world, and sometimes the world comes in the form of fun and cosy pet products! One such product is the Playground by Ming-Wei Xiao.

The Playground is a doghouse that also alternates as a modular sofa! The various modules of the sofa can be arranged creating not only different sofa designs but also fun spaces wherein your doggo can hop, bounce and play about! The wooden doghouse on one side of the furniture piece seems super comfy and adorable! A little hole on its roof, allows your dog to pop his head out of the doghouse, and connect/interact with you while you lounge about on the sofa. It’s the perfect way to spend quality time! Xiao designed Playground, especially for millennial pet owners. The designer kept in mind that the homes of millennials often have space constraints, and nor do they have much free time on their hand. Hence, Playground is extremely easy to put together, and will not occupy much space in our modern-day cramped apartments. Since Playground was created for young target customers, Xiao tried to give it a trendy and cool appearance! Bright colors, minimal woodwork, and a little plant give the furniture design a modern appeal.

Playground is a fun and interactive product design, that helps pet owners and their pets connect better. Its minimal and attractive aesthetics also allow it to seamlessly merge with the interiors of any living space. Playground is the perfect pet product for millennials!

Designer: Ming-Wei Xiao

 

Toys ‘R’ Us returns with STEAM workshops and smaller stores

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In time for the holidays, Toys "R" Us parent company Tru Kids is planning to open two permanent stores. This time around, the stores will include things like theaters for movies and video games, STEAM workshops and a treehouse where kids can play. To...

Snap selfies with Pikachu in Google Pixel’s AR Playground

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You don't have to wait until May 10th to see Pikachu come to life in new ways. Ahead of the long-awaited Pokémon movie, Google released Detective Pikachu, Charizard, Jigglypuff and Mr. Mime as Playmojis for the Pixel's Playground mode. As you...

How to get a coding job at Google with an art degree

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I wasn't really aware as a kid that game development was a career that I could have, especially from an artist's perspective." That's Ashley Pinnick, a 28-year-old artist and game developer living in San Francisco. Pinnick is a VR Technical Artist f...

‘Fortnite’ Playground mode returns on July 25th

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Don't worry if you're still suffering from withdrawal symptoms while Epic retools Fortnite's Playground mode -- its return is just around the corner. The developer has confirmed that its sandbox-like option is coming back on July 25th, complete with...