SutcliffePlay. Natural Play. Sutcliffe Play Ltd Waggon Lane Upton Pontefract WF9 1JS United Kingdom

Transcription

1 Sutcliffe Play Ltd Waggon Lane Upton Pontefract WF9 1JS United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) Registered in England No Registered Office as above Made from 100% recycled British waste Natural Play SutcliffePlay

2 When we think back to playing as a child, often it was in a landscape, rural, urban or suburban. Invariably these landscapes were special places that were known to local children, but ideally not to our parents. Philosophy A common feature of the landscapes that encourage natural play is a hierarchy of spaces at different levels. These places offer an irresistible combination of shelter, comfort, concealment, height and excitement, along with an element of danger. The ideal landscape for play also has a richness of available materials to add to the fun. This can be anything from sand and mud to lollipop sticks, branches, bricks, puddles or pools of water, all there on the spot or gathered nearby. Many of us will also remember playing with two other elements, fire, to cook on or keep warm by and air to turn windmills, fly paper aeroplanes and kites. As adults we have fond memories of childhood play and the freedom we had. Sadly, in 21st Century Britain our fears about children s safety all too often results in a sanitised, risk-averse approach to the design of planned play areas, far removed from the landscapes many of us remember. One solution is to offer a natural and exciting balance between adults safety concerns and children s freedom and enjoyment. Taking memories of childhood play as the basis, new natural play areas can be created combining elements of the existing landscape with high quality, well designed and sympathetic equipment. Keeping and enhancing a location s existing features and using them creatively, is the best starting point. In good natural play projects, the landscape and environment provide a creative framework in which natural and manufactured elements blend together, complementing each other. Play equipment should be employed sensitively, adding to the richness of the experience. A sense of place Open spaces each have their own natural, unique character that makes them special. It is all too easy to transform a place into a play area and in the process destroy the very qualities that made it attractive to children in the first place. Sociability One such quality is the sociability of an open space. Intangible but nevertheless very real, this makes it a place where children want to be, stay and play. A combination of elements including location, aspect, seating, lighting, play facilities and a feeling of security and comfort give a place its sociability. The final element in the mix, designing in robustness to help the landscape survive the demands of children, can present a challenge, but is essential.

3 Auditing the Environment To develop a stimulating experience for children, the existing environment should first be assessed to allow the best elements to be retained. In such assessments the environment is defined as the space the child lives in and moves through. Often in real life there is a temptation to limit the scope of our considerations to the boundary of the designated play area. However the ultimate success of a natural play environment depends on many factors, including the characteristics of the adjacent area and the wider surroundings. Are there any conditions that may influence the design? The overall aspect: the view from and onto the space Sun patterns and shade Prevailing winds which may indicate a need for shelter belts The soil type and drainage What elements within the immediate environment and wider landscape can be utilised? Rivers, streams, trees, slopes, linking paths and so on can be incorporated into the design. Are any existing features used by the local children at the moment? Natural hideaways and other features which may seem unimportant to an outside observer can be precious elements to the children who currently use the site, and should be considered for inclusion in the new design. Who will use the site, and where will they come from? The existing and future demographics of the local community will influence the mix of play equipment and other elements that need to be incorporated. How, and by which route will they get there? Access to the site will determine whether some user groups will come Safe cycle routes may encourage users from a wider catchment area Nearby motor vehicle access may be necessary to allow use by disabled users or other organised groups The location of other local facilities ie. toilets and cafe s, schools and youth centres, should be considered Example: Upton, West Yorkshire A good example is provided by a play appraisal carried out as part of the regeneration of an old mining village with poor play provisions. When looking at this project as a whole, where children currently played, the routes they took to school and where they felt safe to play was a major consideration.

4 Play without boundaries By its very nature, play should be a freedom of expression, without imposed restrictions. Conventional playgrounds can be highly prescriptive with children restricted physically by fences and gates. Adult preconceptions of what children want and the apparent dangers they face are often a reflection of society s confused opinions of children. They are often wrapped in cotton wool, conversely demonised as teens up to no good. An obsession with safety, avoidance of any risk and a need to keep children corralled in a small designated space, supposedly for their own safety, is the reality of many play areas. In establishing a natural play area it is important to question the use of physical fences, where these are sited and their appropriateness. Why is the fence there? The usual reasons include: To keep dogs out To keep toddlers in Stop children playing somewhere it is thought they shouldn t play The reality is that many fences are there for adult s convenience, not children s well being. There is often a park perimeter, bounding a wider landscape. So why put in another fence limiting the play experience to a small area? By contrast in natural play, enclosures are there for child-centred reasons: Defining a small enclave offers an opportunity to play A sense of enclosure can be comforting to children without the need for a cage Planting and land forming can give security, shelter, shade and play opportunities without the need for formal shelters A natural enclosure can give comfort while being permeable, so children can come and go as they wish The only boundaries of natural play should be those created by the children themselves, giving richer opportunities for play. The route into and around a play landscape is another important element of the overall experience. If the journey to different areas of the landscape forms an integral part of the play experience, children will be encouraged to explore and enjoy the whole site. Markers and other points of reference, provide memorable features to help children orientate themselves and build their confidence about playing there.

5 Natural play areas tend to use fewer key pieces of equipment than conventional playgrounds. Often dynamic in action, these items will be heavily used, and must be maintained. Failure will dilute the effectiveness of the whole concept. Robust Specification In a similar way natural materials, hard and soft, need to do a tough job under demanding circumstances. Boulders, stone, logs, plants and trees all have a role in creating a natural play area. Boulders should be specified to an approximate size and profile. Granite boulders, for example, offer a gently curved surface with good grip and variety of colour. Limestone on the other hand is quarried in roughly rectangular slabs suitable for stepping, climbing and sitting on, perhaps forming an arena. Limestone also has interesting geological features, such as fossils. Cutting and fashioning stone to create more interactive natural features can add an extra dimension of interest. Human sundials, compasses and sculptures engage children and help heighten their awareness of the natural environment. Logs can fulfil a number of functions. Like stone they can be fashioned into sculptural forms. They can give structure as totem poles, informal seats and retainers. As logs age, they begin to harbour wildlife species. Planting has to be considered in the context of year round colour and cover, or a particular seasonal flush, which may transform a place and make it a special place to be. Many plants are reusable resources in themselves. Some willows and dogwoods need to be cut back heavily on a yearly basis. The by product is a pliable material, excellent for building and craft activities. Planting can be used to create shelter screens and define zones within the play landscape. Trees give structure, casting shade and slowing prevailing winds. Particular plants and trees can also be chosen to attract wildlife, establishing favourable habitats. Surfaces Grassed areas which coincide with desire routes (routes users are most likely to take) are likely to become muddy and wet. For children this means added fun, but is, sadly, rarely tolerated by an adult world. One solution is planting grass within open rubber matting to protect shoots and reduce erosion. Use of stepping stones and logs may also reduce wear. However it is advisable to establish beforehand that the desire line is in fact in use. Using different grass species or allowing longer growth can also be an option. Hard surfaces can be considered for routes of access and heavy traffic. The proportion and type of material will affect the overall aesthetic appeal of the area. Changes of colour and texture and the introduction of mosaic can add richness, but is best used sparingly. Safety Surfaces These serve to protect children from injury in falls, especially critical head injury. Loose fill safety surfaces are appropriate for use with higher structures and dynamic moving items in a natural context. Synthetic surfaces are generally unattractive in natural settings. Grass is a perfectly adequate safety surface up to a fall height of at least 1.5 metres, provision of a grass mat wear pad at key points may be all that is required. Sand and bark offer a preferable solution to artificial safety surfaces in a natural environment. Gentle curves and retention by earth mounds will further help establish the play area s natural quality. Sand in particular is a valuable play medium that can be manipulated constantly with little or no maintenance. Access for replenishment of sand and bark should be considered in the initial design. The cost of maintenance and replacement of the materials needs to be considered at the design stage. However these costs should be weighed against the cheaper initial cost and the benefits of sustained play value.

6 To be successful over the long term, the design must be robust, with a clear plan of how it will be maintained. Sustainability and management This is ideally achieved with community involvement, augmented by local wildlife and conservation groups. Local residents with gardening expertise can help with the maintenance thereby encouraging wider, crossgenerational inclusion. A maintenance regime and a management strategy to support it are the only routes to sustainability. The timing of the installation of a natural play area is important to allow the soft landscaping to establish properly. Traditional playground maintenance is centred on technical repair of equipment and amenity grass cutting. By contrast a wildflower meadow, for example, requires an initial schedule for establishment, which may involve a higher level of cost. After two to three years however, a twice-yearly mowing regime is more cost-effective than the six to eight cuts required annually for public amenity grass. The advantages of a meadow wildlife habitat and the seasonal emergence of colour add further value to the play landscape. Community Inclusion The success of any play environment is dependent on the support of the community in which it lies. A natural play environment has the potential to be more relevant and engaging for successive generations of children than a conventional playground. Conventional play areas are generally highly engineered, and after the initial consultation process are fixed in place for life. Community engagement reduces over time, as active involvement is minimal with regard to the construction, maintenance and upkeep. In addition the original children who were consulted grow up and move on, diluting the play area s connection with the community. In contrast a natural play area enables direct community involvement in the planting, weeding and upkeep, much like a community garden. This may encourage a wider section of the community to become involved over a longer period. A natural play environment will also grow and change with the seasons. Case study: Scawby School Playground, North Lincolnshire Client Brief To create a play environment that could be used by the whole community. To use the existing tarmac area and a proportion of the school field. Consultation The local community and school were involved in the consultation for this site, the school children produced their own designs and concepts. The staff at Scawby school instigated a resumé of key issues and desires to enable a brief to be formulated. Design Proposal The design concept centred around the creative use of the uninspiring playing field adjacent to the existing tarmac area. The creation of a series of natural spaces and created landforms, interspersed with key pieces of equipment, provided the backbone of the design. A wildflower meadow with mown paths, willow tunnels and wetter marginal planting areas will be a valuable resource for habitat study. The tarmac space will feature a roadway for trikes and bikes, a community exercise zone/ children s games area and pods of social seating. A raised bed growing area is proposed for vegetables, herbs and flowers.