Our Philosophy on Playground Design
Play is a means of learning to live, an interactive exploration of the possibilities of this world and our place in it. Instinctive, voluntary, spontaneous play is vital to develop the potential of all children.
My practice firmly commits to the notion that investment in quality play environments is one of the decisive social investments in a sustainable, peaceful, cross-cultural future.
Australia is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the work of our practice respects these principals.
Our designs:
- celebrate the joy and spontaneity that children bring to our lives;
- communicate to children that they are valued, important people in our society; and
- welcome children and their families and carers to an environment where their needs, interests and abilities have been reflected in the landscape design.
We strive to uphold the theory of Universal Design to its highest ideological interpretation – for people of all ages, abilities and ethnic origins to feel included in the play environment, and to accomplish this at all levels: socially, emotionally and intellectually.
Our playgrounds explore the rich and unique ambiance of their settings, while intensifying the focus on children’s needs and experiences in an environment of exuberance, challenge and wonder.
Towards a Philosophy of Playful Thinking for Schools
We believe that we live in a wide, beautiful, wonderful world, whose diversity, complexity and richness commands our respect and gratitude. Our actions in the world are profound and far reaching; each person counts, each moment counts, and small moments together become momentous.
We follow a design process which respects children and young people as responsible, responsive, reflective stewards of the earth. Children are our common wealth, and our future; and tapping into their optimism and creative curiosity about the world and themselves is key to managing a peaceful and sustainable future for our planet.
We believe that school environments profoundly shape children. Schools have an almost magical responsibility of being a crucible where children and young people have access to the tools, experiences and support to flourish and be happy in their community. In turn, this environment means that children have the capacity and courage to be resilient stewards of our beautiful world.
We design specifically to encourage children and young people to explore their environment and themselves through joyous and playful interactions. Playful interactions develop children’s innate skills of curiosity, investigation, problem solving and communication. Positive environments lead children to a way of thinking that is collaborative, connected and community-based.