For the LA 439 fall studio, students were tasked with redesigning the local Agate playground into an educational space that engaged the community and connected to the community garden next door. For this project I created a playground centered around Oregon geological history. The design would educate the community through active and challenging play as well as engaging signage. It would involve play areas as well as gathering spaces and open space so that the playground can educate the surrounding community.
West - East Section & Elevation
North - South Section and Elevation
The signs for the playground display the concept and narrative for the design. The playground focuses on 4 important parts of Oregon's geologic history, the Columbia River Basalt Deposits, the creation of Smith Rock, the Missoula Glaciers and Floods, and the future of Oregon geology. These four parts are communicated through the play structures at the playground, which are along a timeline path around the park. At the end of the path is the entrance to the garden next door, where there is signage regarding the creation of healthy soil and educational spaces for gardening and farming.
Axon View of Park
Each of the play structures provides different types of play as well as different levels of difficulty to make the park as accessible to as many people as possible. There are many seating areas and picnic tables as well, making the park a place for community events, and gatherings as well as play.
Lava Rock Play Structure Perspective
Smith Rock Play Structure Perspective
Glacier Structure Perspective
Seismic Play Area Perspective