Whitford Play Space

The Whitford Early Learning Centre provided us with an opportunity to design them a new, innovative play space in a challenging location. Nestled beside a steep bank, in summer, the play space was very hot for the children, due to it being exposed to the sun at the heat of the day and having minimal airflow. In winter, large trees sheltering the property from outside the boundary made the play space cold and shady. Our clients wanted to upgrade the old, original playground to make better use of the available space, to attune to the diverse climate, and to make it more interesting for the children using natural play materials. Get Outside Ltd saw an opportunity to incorporate the unused steep terrain, creating terraces on the bank to make it accessible. These terraces were used to create a series of new pathways and circuits on the slope leading to play destinations including climbing rocks, a slide and a sandpit for the children. We introduced a tropical theme with shaggy thatching on the roofs of the play structures, so it became a cluster of Pacifica huts, with colourful planting to match. We’re told the children love exploring the different spaces, and the steepness of the hill has been utilised to provide a good challenge for them to clamber up the rocks, paths and steps. It’s a natural play environment that makes use of the terrain, rather than using artificial play equipment and structures.