2019
Individual project
THE BRIEF
The Playground Centre set a project to create a piece of playground equipment which incorporates the use of energy into the playground. The piece of equipment must offer compelling points of difference around enhanced play values.
This design concentrates on sheltering the playground from the rain, at the same time as incorporating interaction and colour.
Transform playgrounds into fun, interactive environments when it’s raining.
A canopy will be made from a series of curved plastic plates. Arranged in a way which allows water to flow off one and onto another, onto the ground below.
form
The panels emulated a sensation of a breeze through a canopy of trees, which inspired a new leaf-like form.
Each panel had to be sturdy but still allow for some movement from external forces.
The solutions to this problem included a sway bar, chain, springs and a ball joint.
The ball joint was seen to have the most potential. It was iterated until it aligned with the goal.
The panel is sandwiched in the middle of two hamburger bun shaped joiners. One half will slot and lock into the other, leaving enough space between each half for the panel to move.
The structure of each canopy will need to be adjusted to suite its environment eg. long canopy branches on one side vs short branches all the way around.
Panels will move in the breeze, emulating a canopy of leaves rustling. The clinking of polycarbonate against the steel poles will add another dimension to the sensory breadth of the structure.
The sun will shine through the panels and occasionally sparkle when a ridge is hit with light at the right angle. The ground below will be flooded with colour. As the sun moves across the sky, the shadow quality and arrangement will change over the course of the day.
Each panel will orientate itself in accordance to the weight of water flowing across it.
Panels are arranged so that they overlap at different levels, when one panel tips, it may fall onto another.
This will create ‘splash zones’ for kids to interact with on a wet day
Each panel will be created from polycarbonate; a strong, lightweight material with UV protection.
Polycarbonate is available in multiple different colours allowing for the playful aesthetic articulated in the renders.
The structure itself will be manufactured from 60mm steel poles, bent to the required form.
