Landscape

Richmond Playbuilder Projects

Brief

Working with Rattlin' Boag we were asked to design eleven play areas for Richmond Borough Council.  The Playbuilder programme is a major part of the National Play Strategy supported by the government's two hundred and thirty five million pounds investment to transform local areas into innovative and adventurous play spaces.

Response

The design solutions were developed after a series of consultation and engagement exercises with local children and meetings with all stakeholders.  We took play equipment to each site to facilitate the discussions and to focus thoughts on what could be achieved.

Following consultation, sketch options were drawn up with diagrams explaining the play opportunities presented.  These were further refined by discussions with other stakeholders such as the maintenance teams.

Rattlin' Boag is a specialist play company with Europe wide experience in developing natural play areas.  They also have extensive community engagement experience and are experts in risk and play.

Outcome

We recognise the importance of risk in play and how this develops character.  Each site has been designed to maximise the opportunities for play for the mix of children who would use it.  There is an emphasis on re-used and recycled material without the expensive importation of off the shelf play equipment.  We have used boulders, soil mounds, timber bridges and water to give a variety of play experiences.  Willow has been planted to provide the opportunity for den building.

This London project, undertaken by our Glasgow team, demonstrates our project management skills. We worked closely with the Council’s officers to ensure the project remained on programme and within budget.

Team