Top Five Playgrounds with Unusual Designs
When we think of playgrounds, the image of swings, seesaws, slides and monkey bars often pop-up. For innovative designers, the idea of a playground is quite different. From Japan to San Francisco, here are some unique playgrounds with a mission.
Nishi-Rokugo Tokyo, Japan
Japan has found a new purpose for old tires at the 3,700 m2 Nishi-Rokugo park. The park recycled around 3,000 tyres from the local Kawasaki plant. Landscape designers and artists have produced an imaginative world of rockets, robots and a huge Godzilla statue entirely from tyres. As well as a colossal tyre swing, the park also has a tyre slide and climbable jungle gym.
The Fruit and Scent Playground Liljeholmen, Sweden
Sweden cares about the health of its children. Part of the Swedish government’s plan to battle child obesity is to promote healthy eating and steer them away from junk food and fizzy drinks. One way is through promoting the consumption of fruit. In the town of Liljeholmen, they have taken the idea of a healthy diet and active lifestyle one step further. Children can play on swings, slides, spinners, seesaws and a jungle gym that are fruit-inspired. The Fruit and Scent Playground features a wide array of fruit-shaped playground equipment to remind kids to eat healthily.
Pruessen Park Berlin, Germany
Who said playgrounds are only for kids? Not the landscape architects of Pruessen Park in Berlin. The city government wanted to encourage a more active lifestyle for everyone, including the increasing number of senior citizens. Therefore, it decided to dedicate a park for the elderly to enjoy, without the hazard of being knocked over by a skateboarding youth or a group of kids during an impromptu soccer match. The park has an age restriction prohibiting anyone too young from entering, so the older generation can exercise in peace and without being lapped several times by more agile juniors.
St. Kilda Adventure Playground Adelaide, Australia
If your children are into roll playing with a sense of adventure, then bring them to this playground down under. The St. Kilda Adventure Playground is an exceptional kiddie facility because of its size (four hectares) and numerous attractions. The landscape architecture of this children’s playground means that kids can be entertained for hours being lost in a maze or battling pretend dragons in a castle. They can let their imaginations run wild, looking for the octopus’s garden in a yellow submarine, or role-playing swash-buckling Jack Sparrow on the wreck of his pirate ship.
Yerba Gardens San Francisco, California
If you’re looking for an old-fashioned carousel, then head out to Yerba Gardens in San Francisco. This playground is home to one of the oldest carousels in the world. The Zeum carousel was first built in 1906 but was moved from its Californian home to Seattle, due to the many earthquakes in the south-west.
Eventually, San Francisco retrieved the carousel and restored it in 1998. The carousel is now a popular tourist attraction at Yerba Gardens.
With today’s lifestyle and health issues, activity and exercise need to be made fun and attractive. When it comes to designing playgrounds, today’s landscape architects from around the world have as much imagination as the children who play in their parks, whatever their age.