Most playground elements are fairly predictable — a slide, some monkey bars, a couple swings, and voila — but 'La Serpentina', a new playground structure from design studio ELEMENTAL, is a combination of all those things and more. The modular play unit is a series of cages that contain undulating surfaces on which children can slide, jump, hide, and play in original and undefined ways.
One of the inherent issues with many classic playground elements is that they were designed with an adult mindset. Slides, for example, are prescriptive: they can only really be used to go from the top to the bottom. With La Serpentina, children can choose to slide down slopes, but they can run up and across them just as easily, leading to a freer experience more in line with the way in which young minds process the world.
What's Driving This Trend
- Modular Play Structures
- Designing playground elements as modular units that allow for more creative and undefined ways of play.
- Child-centric Design
- Developing playground elements with a child's perspective and natural inclination for exploration and experimentation in mind.
- Interactive Play Experiences
- Creating play structures that offer interactive, hands-on play experiences and encourage physical activity for children.
Who This Affects Most
- Playground Equipment Manufacturing
- Manufacturing companies can invest in modular play equipment and incorporate child-centric design to create more immersive and interactive playground experiences.
- Architectural Design
- Architects and designers can apply child-centric design principles to create more innovative and playful spaces for children, both indoors and outdoors.
- Educational Toys and Games
- Companies that create educational toys and games can draw inspiration from modular and interactive play structures to develop products that encourage creativity and physical activity in children.
