Spanning up to 36 feet in length and armed with razor-sharp teeth set in oversized jaws, the mosasaur was an apex predator of the Late Cretaceous Period that swam through the seas that once covered Central Texas. In 1935, a team of geology students from the University of Texas at Austin uncovered one of the most complete fossilized skeletons of a mosasaur to date. That skeleton became the inspiration for an award-winning playground experience in the Travis County Parks System. Where giants once swam, children today climb through a rib cage, scale flippers, and slide from the creature's skull to experience a prehistoric yet local story through play. Designed by national firm RVi Planning + Landscape Architecture in collaboration with Travis County Parks and GameTime's custom playground design team, the Southeast Metropolitan Park All Abilities Playground demonstrates how landscape architecture can translate local history into an immersive and inclusive learning adventure.

From Fossil to Playground

 
Transforming a significant paleontological discovery into a destination playground required balancing authenticity, safety, accessibility, and play value. One of the greatest challenges was remaining true to the skeleton's physical form and habitat while transforming it into a play environment capable of supporting many levels of experience. The design also needed to encourage collaborative play while meeting stringent ASTM and CPSC safety standards. The team started by visiting the fossil on display at the University of Texas at Austin, studying its anatomy firsthand. Rather than treating the mosasaur as a static sculpture, the designers viewed it as a framework for play, examining each feature through sketches and a simple question: how could children interact with it? Early sketches explored the range of possibilities, from dynamic sliding and climbing elements to accessible embankments and other features that reflected the creature's natural underwater habitat. The skull became a slide, allowing children to descend through open jaws - with teeth dulled for safety. The rib cage evolved into a climbable structure threaded with rope webbing on the outer and upper sections and a flexible membrane bridge running through the center. Flippers offered opportunities for scrambling and climbing, while sea plants, stepping features, turtles, and other design elements extended the story beyond the skeleton itself.

Graduated Experiences
In addition to studying the mosasaur, the Landscape Architects thought critically about "play flow" - designing a series of interconnected experiences that established a natural rhythm for children's movement throughout the playground. Similar to the concept of flow in skatepark design, features were positioned to support a progression of activities rather than function as isolated play events. Whether scrambling through the skeleton, climbing handholds, balancing across play features, or inventing imaginative games, users are presented with opportunities to engage at their own pace while gradually increasing complexity and confidence. Graduated challenges embedded within the same structures support collaboration and create opportunities for siblings and friends of all abilities to play together as they grow.

Inclusive Design
For Travis County Parks, inclusivity was a guiding principle from the outset, as the playground needed to serve children and families of varying ages, abilities, and play styles. Designing features that extended beyond basic ADA compliance - and integrating them into the framework of an interactive mosasaur skeleton - became both a challenge and an opportunity. Accessibility at Southeast Metropolitan Park extends far beyond mobility considerations to physical, social, emotional, and cognitive realms. Wheelchair users can access many of the playground's primary experiences through transfer platforms and accessible circulation routes. A gently sloped pathway leads to embankment play features and motion-based elements designed to provide vestibular experiences through rocking and swaying movement. The playground also incorporates sensory-rich environments and opportunities for retreat. Suspended rope platforms beneath the mosasaur's tail provide protected spaces where children can sit and observe while experiencing gentle movement. Nearby, a semi-enclosed dinosaur egg spinner offers a sheltered environment that can be particularly comforting for children who benefit from quieter, more controlled sensory experiences. Social interaction was equally important to the design. Double slides encourage cooperative play between siblings, friends, and caregivers, creating opportunities for shared experiences and connection. Material and color selections further support accessibility goals. High-contrast, poured-in-place rubber surfacing helps define circulation routes while improving visibility for users with varying visual abilities as they navigate the space.

A Community Destination
While the two-acre playground is a destination in itself, it is positioned within a much broader 300-acre community hub and sports complex with extensive trails, amenities and athletic fields nearby. In this context, the all-abilities playground is a cherished amenity for families to congregate during and after athletic events. It provides a destination where siblings of different ages and abilities can play together and experience the park beyond the sidelines. The playground also offers educational value, sparking the imagination and interest of young minds drawn to the prehistoric creature.

Storytelling Through Play
Beyond recreation, the playground demonstrates the power of storytelling through public space design. Interpretive elements and immersive play features connect children and families to the history of the mosasaur and the ancient marine ecosystem through a firsthand experience. As children climb, scramble, descend, and play through the skeleton, they become active participants in a landscape inspired by a prehistoric world. By transforming a local fossil discovery into an interactive and informal educational play environment, children are engaged with concepts of paleontology, geology, and natural history. In recognition of its innovative integration of inclusive play, education, and local history, the project received a Park Design Excellence Award from the Texas Recreation and Park Society. Millions of years after the mosasaur swam through the waters that once covered Central Texas, its story lives on through the laughter, curiosity, and imagination of children playing every day.

As seen in LASN magazine, September 2026.