EURHYTHMICS a Children’s Play Area
A playscape for children between 6-10 years should exuberate free-spirited, progressive spatial layouts where interesting spaces fancy a child’s imagination. Eurhythmics – an ever-evolving space, imparts children with opportunities to explore the space, imbibe the surrounds and hence morph into an individual. A recreational area has been designed to radiate engaging experiences for children, since the impressions laid on children between 610 years of age play a pivotal role in moulding them as individuals later. Catering to the children residing in the staff quarters, the 1.8 acre of potential space has the four storied staff quarters in the North adjacent to an approach ramp for parking proposed to the east. With the boys’ hostel at the southern edge, the land has a 12m deep gorge towards the west and a bridge at the southwestern edge (linking it to the academic block). The experiential landscape emerges from the sequencing of the design programme, which is a variant of the design considerations. The design considerations evolve from the derivatives of the site surroundings, psychology of users it has to cater to, site orientation and existing site conditions. This analysis formulates the design programme, which is stated as below: • Secure unsafe areas from the reach of the children, like the 12m deep gorge edge, the bridge spanned over the gorge, connecting the site with the academic block across the gorge. • Provide appropriate entrances from the staff-quarters at suitable levels. • Incorporate the existing dry deciduous vegetation with the proposed vegetation massing intentionally planted to suit the needs of the kids. • Opportunities to play around and carry out multi-faceted activities from spaces for small to large gatherings, from secluded intimate enclosures to open unconfined interactive spots. • Ensure appropriate grading as the design layout has to be made functional. • Buffering and screening off of certain site attributes for the security of the children. • Some quintessential elements are blended with the landscape which help link the myriad spaces. The intent of the design is to signify the role of land as a stimulating agent for a child’s growth. Therefore, the design paradigm highlights lie in a major form employed by a series of mounds, drawing children from the entrance plazas via a network of primary and secondary pathways meandering through flowering and sloping gardens and flatter lawns; contrasted with the enclosures sited with the boulders on site over elevated land, overlooking play of light and shade filtering and absorbed by the deciduous and evergreen trees respectively.
EURHYTHMICS a Children’s Play Area
Juxtaposition of activities: Rolling/ tumbling/ sliding/ climbing/ walking/ strolling/ reading/ observing nature/ appreciating space/ exploring or discovering surrounds. These activities are set out in the space, accentuated by vegetation massing, intentionally planted for specific purposes. Thus, interplay of active and passive learning is provided as children tread through the park. The site is approached by entrance plazas at 264.0m providing a sense of arrival, with vantage points situated at two fag ends visually integrating the two entrance plazas. The parking is screened-off by a planted berm, and garden slopes, amalgamating into the existing enclosure of trees.
The central playful land mass is reached by pathways. Primary pathway hugs the sequence of harmonic mounds and depressions. On the western edge – an opportunity to have a direct connect with nature as one can sit and view the sun setting into the 12m deep gorge. Stepped plazas shaded by fruit bearing trees impart an environment of being in Nature’s lap. Stepping-stones connect the primary pathway with the pedestrian bridge to provide safety to elders, and segregating the kids to enjoy their playful freedom.
The start and the end of the site experience is defined by the entrance plazas, linked by a continuous loop of pathways meandering through the shaded, semi-shaded and open spaces, accentuated by elements like hiking wall, story wall, green wall, sunset viewing deck, sand pit, lawn, an isolated mound at a distance from the sequential differentially elevated mounds. Thus Eurhythmics Expresses, a symphony of playing spaces linked to create a sense of rhythm on the site, thereby, establishing a sense of playscape, reflecting the vibrancy of the 6 to 10 years age group.
Written by Aanchal Vidyasagar