A World of Playgrounds

Many playgrounds built today tend to have certain kinds of play structures in common: usually a slide or two, swings, of course, maybe some faux rocks to climb and perhaps a roped climber as well.

Of course, not all playgrounds are created equal. In the March Parks issue, you saw, for instance, the playground in Westminster Park in Colorado with its Westminster, England-inspired designs: a Big Ben-like obelisk, a Westminster, England street grid and the Thames flowing (cobble paving and spray elements) across a plaza. The Neverland-themed playground was creative, colorful and engaging.

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Australia

Title picture and above: The St Kilda Adventure Playground in Adelaide is one of Australia?EUR??,,????'?????<

China

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Denmark

Monstrum, a Danish company, is noted for designing imaginative playgrounds.

New Zealand

The lighthouse slide is at Frank Kitts Park on the waterfront in Wellington, New Zealand.

Spain

The Spanish architects Eduardo Navadijos and Csaba Tarsoly recently unveiled a an extension of a playground in Boadilla del Monte in the center of Madrid, creating a shade canopy for an existing pavilion that serves as a large, airy game room. Kids also enjoy climbing the rubberized hills.

Japan

Nishi Rokugo Koen playground in Tokyo uses some 3,000 tires to create dinosaurs, a robot and such play accessories as bridges, slides and swings.

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Russia

Back in the days of the Soviet Union, playgrounds in Russia were no-nonsense Spartan facilities that Westerners described as small versions of army-style obstacle courses. Thus, some people in some communities opted to make their own playground creations. Let?EUR??,,????'?????<