For some of us, some of the most fun or memorable times would be during recess or break time in between study periods when we were in primary/ elementary or middle school. For those few precious minutes, some kids would rush to grab a bite, while others would burst into a common square or schoolyard to play and expend their ‘potential’ energies.
Bamboo Playground. Photo by Matias Bercovich
Bamboo Playground. Photo by Matias Bercovich
Bamboo Playground. Photo by Matias Bercovich
Infinity. Photo by Nyan Zay Htet
Infinity. Photo by Nyan Zay Htet
Infinity. Photo by Nyan Zay Htet
In this way, play areas in schools can be considered ‘in-between’ spaces insofar as they are occupied by the kids in between lesson periods or in between after-school and home; and the areas themselves are often spaces in between separate buildings or structures.
Here, we look at two intimately scaled interventions that have been thoughtfully and sensitively designed and engineered to optimise the space given for kids to play. They could even potentially lead the way into replacing the use of concrete for such small-scale constructions in the country.
According to the architects, the school wanted this project to completely ‘disrupt’ the existing overwhelming amount of concrete that was covering the entire surface of the outdoor space. The application and use of bamboo here could be said to serve this purpose well. RELATED: To Infinity and Beyond The entire structure is made from bamboo, with three different species used: Dendrocalamus giganteus for the frames, bundles of Oxytenanthera albocialiata Munro for the curved elements, and Thyrsostachys siamensis for the bracing and roof beams. Using natural materials also helps to reduce the temperature of the area, aside from the ‘jungle gym’ […]
The space that the school allocated for the project was at the border of the central open space that was mostly used by kids to play soccer. The designated area was initially a rubbish dump behind the school bathroom. The design team spent an entire week clearing the site by cleaning up and disposing the trash. The efforts paid off when the most ‘problematic’ part of the school was transformed into a desirable space for the kids, in effect optimising the limited area for recreational purposes. RELATED: To Infinity and Beyond The approach undertaken by the architects was to “create […]
