Harpenden Town Council and the PARC Friends of Group set their sights high when they decided to create a new flagship park at the existing Rothamsted play area site in the heart of the town. They wanted to create a memorable inclusive play experience for toddlers, juniors, teenagers, and their families alike to enjoy.
The client had a budget of £300,000 for this project and wanted the play equipment to be grouped into four zones for three age ranges: 0-5, 6-11 and 11-15 years. The overarching aim of the project was to create a space where families and teenagers would like to spend more time because of the design and stimulating equipment chosen. From the outset, it was decided to remove 90% of the equipment leaving a few well-loved pieces in situ in the teen zone.
The stunning themed design utilises a balance of natural wooden and aesthetically pleasing steel equipment. Now built the sizable area contains 65 play items, offering 350+ play experiences for 300+ users at any one time.
This area has been split into 4 zones catering to differing ages as follows:
- Whimsical Woodlands area, designed for Toddlers (0-5 years) Lots of inclusive play equipment offering both tactile and sensory play experiences.
- Fantastic Forest area (0-11 years) – To be used by all ages to engage the senses through imaginative play.
- Rambling Rivers area (6 – 11 years) – Full of independent and challenging play experiences.
- Tree Tops area (10+ years) featuring Fast-paced social play
The results are impressive, and the legacy of this play area will be around for a long time for the community and its children to enjoy.