# Communal Wooden Podiums This Viewing Platform Also Acts as a Playground By Vasiliki Marapas | Published 2014-07-24 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/viewing-platform References: [dezeen](http://www.dezeen.com/2014/07/24/the-sweep-wooden-viewing-platform-china-olivier-ottevaere-john-lin/) & [hku.hk](http://www.hku.hk/) The Sweep is a [community viewing platform](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/telepresence-observation-pavilion) conceived by architects Olivier Ottevaere and John Lin in the Tuanjie village of China's Yunnan Province. The structure, which doubles as a play area, was designed as part of a larger initiative by the two architects. The Sweep is characterized by its [fluid looping form](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/czech-pavilion) that rises to offer views of the rice terraces in the surrounding valleys. Sixty-five architecture students helped erect the structure in only six days. Because of its proximity to a nearby primary school, The Sweep functions as a meeting ground for parents, as well as a fun playground for the children. Ottevaere explains, "The demand from the village head and from the local school was to create a waiting and play area for parents and children that responded to the open landscape the site is facing." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.6/10 - Popularity: 76% | Activity: 24% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/design) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Multifunctional Structures:** Innovative structures that serve multiple purposes such as play areas and meeting grounds, like The Sweep, provide new opportunities for architects and designers to incorporate sustainability and community-driven designs. - **Community-centered Design:** Community-centred designs that prioritize local needs and desires, as demonstrated by The Sweep, foster collaboration between architects, residents, and stakeholders, leading to sustainable solutions that benefit everyone involved. - **Crowdsourced Construction:** The use of crowdsourcing and community involvement in construction and design, as seen in the construction of The Sweep by sixty-five architecture students, can lead to faster and more cost-effective project completion, while also providing learning opportunities for participants. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Architecture:** The architectural industry can embrace the opportunity to create designs that prioritize the needs and desires of communities and incorporate sustainable and multipurpose structures like The Sweep. - **Education:** Educational institutions can tap into the trend of crowdsourced construction and offer learning opportunities to students through involvement in community projects like The Sweep. - **Playground Design:** The playground design industry can innovate with multifunctional structures, like The Sweep, that provide exciting and interactive play areas while also serving as meeting grounds for communities. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Abstract Colorfully Vibrant Playscapes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/wired-scape.md) - [Structural Energetic Playgrounds](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/archipelago-playscape.md) - [Children-Designed Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hi-ladders-high.md) - [Landscape Viewing Pavilions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/resting-loop-with-views.md) - [Sloped Timber Skate Ramps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rampitecture.md) - [Heritage Sound Playgrounds](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hornscape-playground.md) - [Mountain-Based Curved Viewpoints](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/yunhai-forest-service-station.md) - [Elevated Urban Skate Venues](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/aan-architects.md) - [Colorful Dynamic Acoustic Playgrounds](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/otonomori.md)