Enchanted Woodland Playground

We were appointed to design a Locally Equipped Area for Play (LEAP), primarily for children of early school age, for a new housing development on land to the north of M4 Junction 33, north west Cardiff.  The artist-led playground had to be sustainable, welcoming and inclusive, providing a meeting point which brings together members of the new community whilst supporting well-being.  It needed to create a ‘varied, inspirational and interesting physical environment that maximises potential for socialising, creativity, resourcefulness and challenge.’ (Play Wales).

The Enchanted Woodland Theme

The theme is inspired by analysis of the local context, which uncovered a nearby ancient woodland.  It creates a sense of magic and adventure and encourages children to play imaginatively, both individually and with each other.

The woodland theme promotes engagement with nature, making children think about trees, woodland plants and creatures, which is important as many children do not have the opportunity to play in real woodland.

The Enchanted Woodland theme is represented in an abstract and contemporary way in the playground design, rather than a literal one.  By creating experiences which suggest a forest of tree trunks, a clearing, a tree house and a woodland landscape, children are free to use their imaginations and interpret the experience in their own way.  The playground can be a different world to different children on different days.

Through discussion with the developer’s landscape architect, tree, hedge and wildflower meadow planting, paths and seating, which were already proposed to surround the LEAP site, are integrated with the design of the playground.  As well as enhancing the theme and adding value to the play experiences, this eliminates the need for costly and unsightly fencing to enclose the area.

The design combines natural materials and surfaces with a restrained use of bright red colour to provide the magic!  Playing with scale creates an other-worldly feel.  We have given consideration to making the playground accessible to a wide range of children, including those with disabilities, by incorporating wheelchair accessible routes, spinners and a cantilever basket swing which can be enjoyed by those with a wide variety of physical abilities, and sensory/sound experiences.

Due to COVID-19 it was not possible to undertake any engagement activities during the design stage.  However, we worked with children from the local primary school’s Eco Committee to plant over 100 native trees on the site during the official opening of the playground.  We’re excited to watch them grow over the coming years!

While we wait for some professional photography, here are some pictures of the playground under construction and us carrying out some important testing of the equipment!

This project was done through collaboration with Analog Architecture.