A place to play for the whole community

When Grain was awarded this project by the New York City School Construction Authority (NYCSCA), we welcomed the chance to rethink what a public school yard could be. We envisioned a dynamic green space that would create connections – connections between this very urban setting and nature, and between the playground and the classroom.

Open space is scarce in the Wakefield neighborhood of The Bronx, a majority-minority community. (When this project was completed, there was still no other usable park in the area, though happily one has been refurbished since then). We wanted this playground to be a stepping stone – both literally and imaginatively – towards an expanded concept of play and academic exploration.

Inspired by the freedom a child feels while wandering meadows or rolling down hills, we replaced the standard-issue blacktop with a hilly topography. We installed unusual play structures that challenge children to use their minds to solve problems and their bodies to build strength. We selected a cheerful color palette and made a whimsical rainbow path to guide visitors through the space. There is an abundance of sensory stimulation:  a variety of natural, tactile materials – stone, wood, vegetation – as well as embedded dancing chimes, which turn footsteps into musical notes, along the pathway.

Considering the playground as an extension of the learning environment may seem a logical approach, but it remains unconventional—and something we were determined to keep top of mind. The plantings were chosen to create shade, but we also sought feedback from the science teachers to ensure they complemented the STEM inquiry. The hills are studied as part of the physics curriculum, and are used in phys ed classes.

For Grain, this project proved again to our team the great benefits of approaching what may seem like a familiar brief in a novel and inventive way. Most importantly, the playground has become a site of both enjoyment and enrichment for the school, which has seen a bump in enrollment in recent years, and a point of pride for the community. NYCSCA is delighted with the project, and we hope it may become a model for other school yards across the city.