The Ian Potter Children's Wild Play Garden

The Ian Potter Children’s Wild Play Garden.


Client		Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust
Design Partners		ASPECT Studios
State		New South Wales

Inspiring children to explore their ‘wild’ side.

Just 5km from the Sydney CBD, Centennial Park is one of the city’s largest and most popular green spaces. Fleetwood was engaged to collaborate with the design partner, ASPECT Studios, to help bring its vision for a stunning new WILD PLAY garden to life in a way that was as safe for children as it was inspiring.

Our involvement.

Using our proprietary project methodology, we partnered closely with ASPECT Studios at every stage of the project.

The process began with a collaborative discovery session where we were fully immersed in the creative vision using their initial sketches and designs. Our Design Engineering Hub then added value by formulating detailed suggestions on materials, finishes and construction techniques, evolving the design concepts into practical forms.

Next, 3D drawings were created allowing the client to experience and approve the final concept, from which a detailed construction budget was developed and a full list of materials were provided for certification.

Finally, the construction phase brought the wild play concept to life, with some of the structures built on-site, while others were prepared at our specialised off-site workshop.

How does this project inspire people to love the outdoors?

The Wild Play Garden is an inspiring new public play structure for local families and visitors alike. Filled with things to do and discover, it gives young children a great reason to get out of the house and off their devices as they explore a creative outdoor wonderland.

Design Challenge

Rather than a defined and highly prescriptive play structure, ASPECT Studio’s vision was of a richly immersive environment using simple design and natural materials. Inspired by the local fig trees and parklands, they wanted to create a magical garden where children would be encouraged to run, jump, play, learn and discover, as they enjoy the ‘wild side of life’.
Construction Challenge

Our challenge was to seamlessly and safely evolve ASPECT Studio’s design vision, building it into a spectacular reality for young families to enjoy. The ultimate goal was to find the best possible way to deliver for the community while always staying true to the original vision.
Innovation

A crucial part of the design vision was creating the look and feel of a bird’s nest surrounding the upper structure. Fleetwood’s innovative design team came up with a construction method that captured the spirit of the initial concept, delivering the desired aesthetic with a unique concealed fixing method.
Features
- Swinging bridge leading to the ‘Nest’ treehouse
- Fully enclosed tubular slide
- High visibility protective mesh
- ‘The Eel’ hardwood structure
Safety & Risk Considerations

Safety implications were paramount at every stage of the project – from the design of the play structure itself to the materials used. Stainless steel wire netting was carefully and artistically folded into the design to ensure absolute safety throughout and maintain visibility for parents and carers.
Sustainability Considerations

All timbers used were sourced from sustainably grown Australian forests. Compliance with the Australian Forestry Standard and demonstration of the chain of custody were fundamental aspects of Fleetwood’s process.

“It is rare to find a construction partner who is so helpful during the design development process.

Having an eye on costs as well as engineering and methods of fabrication gives all involved some assurance that what we dream can become a reality. That is a vital skill in this industry!

The Fleetwood team managed to engineer, build and certify exactly what we were after.”

Louise Pearson

Studio Design Director at Aspect Studios

Awards

We are honoured to have been awarded the following


International Architecture Awards Project Winner; Urban Planning/Landscape Architecture.	2019
City Brand and Landscape Award: City Play	2018
Parks and Leisure Australia's NSW and ACT regional awards of excellence	2018
AILA NSW Play Spaces Award of Excellence	2018
Good Design Award for Urban Design	2018