Oxfordshire
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Comper Foundation
Re-design of an urban Early Years playground
- Price Range
- Design
- Preparation
- Build
- £40,000
- 3 days
- 1 week
- 3-4 weeks
Project Overview
The site had a real presence, being in the centre of Oxford with a number of large mature trees. However, due to a number of amateurish developments in past years, the site had become cluttered and offered little visual or linear connectivity. We worked with the headteacher to redesign the whole to offer movement corridors and connected spaces which had interactive play features and monkey bars, large logs rings, scramble nets, a slide and a bridge crossing. And, of course, our trademark planting palette to enhance nature and add character.
Our re-design allowed the mature trees to remain while also bring in recycled materials to create all year round access surfacing. We added our large forest school timber shelter as a backdrop to the whole garden and the new space was opened and christened by the lord mayor of Oxford.
Result
The design featured many items which strengthened gross motor skills, the essential ingredient of healthy, well adapted children. The bridge, monkey bars, scramble net, balance poles etc., all build upper body strength…..which in turn inspires skill in activities like handwriting, painting, coordination etc.
While other playground equipment companies wanted this job, their solution was to bring in a lot of primary coloured play gear surfaced in high carbon ‘rubber and glue’. The school realised that a design led approach which protected the existing sense of place was their best way forward. This being our speciality, we delivered for them, on time and budget.