Bringing Waterview into play

When designing a playground, who better to ask for inspiration than children?

Children at Waterview Primary School proved more than up to the task when they brainstormed ideas for a new playground, now being constructed in Waterview as part of the NZ Transport Agency’s Waterview Connection project. The project, which will complete Auckland’s Western Ring Route motorway, includes a number of features designed to benefit local communities.

The children were asked to imagine going to a planet full of playgrounds, then describe the one they would visit daily and explain why. Their responses were highly imaginative, according to Boffa Miskell Landscape Architect, Al Rigby.

“There were strong themes of water play, risk taking and edible landscapes as well as the usual parks elements of slides, swings and roundabouts. Some ideas were so creative they proved a real challenge to translate into buildable structures but that was the fun of it!“

Boffa Miskell designed the playground to a design brief established by the Auckland Council Parks team and is now overseeing its construction on behalf of the Well Connected Alliance, which is building the Waterview Connection.

The final design has a water based theme in response to the coastal location. It includes a tower slide with views out towards the harbour, sandpit areas and two water play spaces including sprayers, water cannons, dams, weirs and channels in which water can be diverted before it falls into planted rain gardens and swales. Al says a conscious decision was made to create a play area with a more natural feel and colour scheme to contrast with and complement the brightly coloured playground, recently completed at nearby Kuaka Reserve which Boffa Miskell was also involved in.

Additional features, desired by the local community and funded by the Albert Eden Local Board, have also been incorporated, including more water play elements, barbeques, a fale for shade and a sculptural waka feature.

The playground will cater for toddlers through to youth age groups, with tunnelled mounds separating the play areas. Play elements have been selected to provide for challenge and social interaction, such as a three metre climbing wall and inclusive features such as a sensory bridge and basket swings. A circulating path caters for young riders and scooters.

Together with adjacent basketball, volleyball and netball training courts, it is on track to open in summer 2015/16 – an ideal time to let the kids – and their imaginations – run loose!