The Playground Project - Freedom to Imagine
In urban areas, playgrounds offer a break from indoor living, a fertile ground for discovery and experimentation, both physical an social. This is the subject in ‘The Playground Project’, a travelling exhibition that has been on display in several cities and now arrives to Bonn.
The exhibition, divided into an indoor and outdoor area, explores the topic of playgrounds as laboratories for social and educational exploration, as spaces for creative design, as areas for our relaxation, stimulation, exercise and entertainment.
Video : The Playground Project, Outdoor (1:28)
Unlike classrooms, where children are expected to adapt to strict norms of conduct, playgrounds allow for freedom.
In them, children test their social skills as much as their motor skills, coordination and reflexes, all of which are indispensable for a healthy and balanced development.
In addition, playgrounds are also social hubs for parents and caretakers, and in some areas they represent the only oasis of green in their communities.
For all of these, playgrounds are attracting the attention of urban planners, landscape architects and designers, as a focal point in social well being.
Seward Park, New York, 1890.
First conceived in the late XIX century as a social experiment to keep vulnerable children from underprivileged classes away from the streets, playgrounds nowadays have evolved into meeting places at all levels of society, a space where children can be allowed free rein to release their energy and their parents can enjoy some time in the outdoors.
Junk Playground design by C.T. Sorensen.
From their humble beginnings, playgrounds saw their first important makeover in the 1930's with the creation of ‘Adventure Playgrounds’- first proposed by Danish landscape architect Carl Theodor Sorensen and later by British landscape architect Marjory Allen - in which children were allowed freedom to create their own games with the basic elements found in the playground.
Adventure Playground design, by Marjory Allen.
Although any large-enough open space can serve as a playground - when left to explore their imagination at will, children find ways to entertain themselves with anything-, specially designed playgrounds are safer and offer an unrivalled opportunity for architects to try new designs.
Playground design by Annabau.
Through the years, playgrounds have evolved along the social changes of the times, becoming more indispensable as cities grow increasingly crowded and overpopulated.
Some malls, cafes and fast-food stores even include them for the convenience for their clients. And yet, due to their fundamental character, nothing replaces an open-air playground.
Mall playground
As our societies become more aware of diversity and different individual needs, playgrounds have also become more inclusive, adding new elements to their design, such as musical instruments, games for blind children, with impaired mobility, cognitive problems, etc. in an effort to foster a greater and more inclusive social exchange.
Musical games at Gabriela Mistral playground.
From the basic iron-bar parks to the libertarian ‘do-it-yourself’ of adventure playgrounds, the diversity of designs for this public space is immense, and reflect not only the societies behind each, but also the permanent need for a safe place for children to explore, learn, create and test their strengths.
Along the information displayed on the walls, the indoor exhibition includes games and jungle gyms for small children to test their skills - swings, slides, percussion games and more. Parents are encouraged to participate with their children in their fun, thus promoting a closer family bond.
The outdoor exhibition presents an array of different games for teens and adult players. A giant slide, ping pong tables, a skating rink and more, each one posing a different degree of difficulty and stimuli to the participant.
All of which goad us to consider the importance of play in our lives. Because no matter how old we may get, we never grow out of our need to play and have fun.
Event: The Playground Project Exhibition
Dates: July 13th - October 28th, 2018
Location: Bonn Bundeskunsthalle, Museumsmeile Bonn, Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 4, Bonn
Hours: Tuesday - Wednesday: 10 am - 9pm; Thursday to Sundays: 10 am - 7pm. Closed on Mondays
Cost: Indoor Exhibition: €10 for a Day ticket ; €6.50 Concessions; Outdoor Exhibition: €6 Day Ticket; €3.90 Concessions.
More Info: https://www.bundeskunsthalle.de/en/exhibitions/playground-project.html
Cover Picture: Sculpture Games by Federica Matta for Plaza Brasil, Santiago.
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