YOUR FORUM FOR PLAY, SPORTS UND LEISURE AREAS
Based in Klosters in Switzerland, the planning consultants Planungsbüro Wegmüller have considerable experience when it comes to designing creative themed playgrounds. Among its favourite materials are robinia wood as this readily matches any natural surroundings. Landscape architect Daniel Wegmüller and his team report on three of their projects, explain the background to them and what was involved in the planning process.
It is a rainy morning. On a large grassed area under trees there is a scattering of individual pieces of play equipment, such as a seesaw and a number of swings, that produce a somewhat forlorn effect within the extensive space. It is immediately apparent that they have been extensively used; indeed, it looks as if they have been there for quite some time and have a hard life behind them. Landscape architect Daniel Wegmüller strides rapidly from apparatus to apparatus, pulls on a wooden beam here and there, checks screw connections and cables so that he can subsequently give his opinion. And there is no doubt in his mind: with just a few exceptions, these play structures no longer conform to current safety requirements and need to be removed as soon as possible. The playground in question is part of the popular 'Birka Bird Paradise' tourist attraction that is owned and run by the local Mauren authority in Liechtenstein. This bird sanctuary open to the public is inhabited by exotic birds from cockatoos to peacocks. The operators and representatives of the local authority come to the same conclusion after consulting with Wegmüller. They would like the playground, that is now a bit too long in the tooth, completely redesigned so that it provides an additional attraction for the many visitors who frequent this popular leisure area in summer. They define the target group as children aged around 7 years.
Roughly a year later - this time the sun is shining - visitors are confronted by an entirely new amenity that seems utterly transformed. Under the trees, there is a long extensive play structure made of robinia that glows in all the colours of the rainbow. It entices children to use it for balancing, climbing, dangling games and for shared exploration. On the very top of the brightly painted robinia wood poles perch colourful parrots. The landscape architects have incorporated in the play equipment the theme of the exotic bird life living nearby and, working in collaboration with the equipment builders Spielart based in Laucha in Germany, they have created a 'Parrot Forest' and a 'Pheasant Platform' as core features. "Using exotic birds as our leitmotif, it was our intention to build for children a play experience linked closely with the site," explains Daniel Wegmüller. With the help of his team in his offices in Klosters, the landscape architect has been designing unique play worlds over many years. Whenever possible, these are always dedicated to a particular theme.
Through play from continent to continent
And this is the case with his latest design, a playground for the Hotel Intercontinental in Davos, in the heart of the Swiss Alps. The hotel is actually located a little outside the town itself, near Lake Davos, where it is surrounded by thick pine forest. Again in this instance, it was equipment made of robinia wood that was selected. The undecorated wood was seen as the perfect match on this site in natural surroundings, points out Wegmüller. Not only that, he adds, but it is particularly robust and durable. "Assuming it is appropriately maintained and subject to regular upkeep, it will have a service life of at least 20 years," he concludes. "The oldest equipment we have constructed from robinia wood has already been in use for over 25 years and is still perfectly functional."
It was particularly important to the operators of the Hotel Intercontinental, which hosts guests from all around the world, that the play attraction would act as a 'tourist magnet' that would boost customer loyalty. It was hoped that the new playground would give the hotel increased family appeal and also draw more visitors in the off-season. So what was needed was something exceptional and distinctive. During a brainstorming session of the landscape architect team, the idea emerged of basing the concept on the name of the hotel and producing a playful interpretation of the word 'intercontinental'. And so, a design that linked aspects of the various continents came into being. This was realised using play structures specifically developed for the site. While playing, children can undertake a trip around the world, from the mountains of Europe via the savannahs of Africa into the wilderness of Oceania where they will encounter the local fauna in the shape of wooden figures of animals such as marmot, giraffe and kangaroo. The play landscape has been constructed so that it can be used the whole year round. Any snowfall on the main pathways and the connecting trails to the various play features is regularly cleared away whenever possible. However, even in this situation the playing children continue to create new beaten tracks and use the snow as a dynamic element that can be incorporated in their play activities.
The collective generates new ideas
Developing new concepts for playgrounds is a creative, active process in which - depending on project framework and starting point - consultation with children and local residents plays a significant role. The collective thus throws out ideas which make it possible to draw up designs that meet the needs and wishes of those involved. "It really is fun to involve children in the planning process," asserts landscape architect Britta Mall who has been working for Wegmüller for the past 6 years. "They are always honest in terms of the feedback they provide and they often open our eyes to new possibilities. It is a real delight to observe how they appropriate to their own uses a playground we have designed for them." For her, the main challenge when it comes to planning and constructing a playground is finding a suitable balance between the all too often diametrically opposed needs of users, operators and clients. "It can be difficult to allow for the necessary time windows for grow-in, so that any newly created green surfaces can develop sufficiently," she avers. At the same time, however, the project process from first enquiry to completed playground always follows a similar course. During an initial on-site consultation, various wishes and suggestions can be collected and it can be determined whether pre-existing equipment and features should be retained for incorporation in the new concept. Next comes the submission of a quotation and, once the order has been issued, the existing features and terrain are examined, a concept is drafted and an appropriate cost estimate on this basis can be drawn up. Once the project has taken concrete form, an invitation to tender is issued to landscape and garden design businesses, after which comes the implementation phase. It is important to Daniel Wegmüller's team that the theme for a playground is developed in close collaboration with the clients and that this harmonises as closely as possible with the local surroundings. These principles were applied during the design of the 'Fontaniva gold prospector camp' in Disentis in the Swiss mountains that has as its theme gold panning from the nearby River Rhine.
Safety has priority
Whenever planning play attractions, the team ensures that it always conforms to the stipulations of EN 1176/1177, the European safety standards for playgrounds and play equipment and, by means of advanced consultation with clients and operators, makes certain that these will be subject to regular inspection in accordance with EN 1176. Fall attenuation surfacing is also required under equipment depending on the corresponding fall heights.
In the case of the 'Dux forest playground' in Schaan in Liechtenstein, the name Dux is that of a popular leisure site on the edge of the village. This led planners to come with the idea of the 'fox from Dux', and the fox has been used as one of the motifs for the new playground. Located within a forest clearing, the site has its own special character. The terrain has been shaped into various terraces. Next to the playground are barbecue areas with wood huts, a Kneipp hydrotherapy facility and an educational forest trail. It was the task of the landscape architects to provide the existing playground that was in decline with new equipment that would appeal to children in the age range 3 to 12 years. As so often in the case of playground projects, the work was to be realised in successive phases.
At the centre of the new playground is a colourful multipurpose swing feature that is almost 17 metres in length and the various swing elements of which offer something for children in all age groups. Installed during the second phase was the long, extended climbing structure made of robinia wood, with fox den and tube slide. The integrated animal figures, such as squirrel, fox and owl, are used to convey the forest theme and are readily recognised by the children. There is also an exciting play stream with Archimedes screw and various options for constructing dams. Thanks to the site in a forest clearing, it was inevitable that wood should be used as main material for the Dux playground as it harmonises best with the natural environment here. Thanks to the way the architects designed the elements as prefabricated modules, the constructors were readily able to assemble the equipment with the aid of the supplied construction guidelines. When it comes to the assembly of particularly complex amenities, it is always advisable to have a construction supervisor of the manufacturer on site.
Conclusions
The projects outlined above make one thing clear - they may all be made of wood but at the same time they are all completely different. Each is unique and was designed specifically with the potential user group in mind. Customised play worlds have thus been created that comply with the specific requirements, fit into their surroundings and make an important contribution to promoting physical activity among children. In our era of digital entertainments, it is essential to provide children with appealing amenities that will lure them away from their iPods and Pads to enjoy fun and active play in the fresh air. This will not only help them develop better motor abilities but also enhanced social skills
Image: Planungsbüro Wegmüller
Infobox
Creating play fun
The projects in Switzerland and Liechtenstein described in this article were designed by Planungsbüro Wegmüller based in Klosters (Switzerland).
The illustrated play structures made of robinia wood were made by Spielart GmbH in Laucha (Germany).
For more information go to: www.d-wegmueller.ch and www.spielart-laucha.de
