The Pitsmoor Adventure Playground

Year | 2015

Location | Pitsmoor & Burngreave, Sheffield

Clients | Pitsmoor Adventure Playground CIO

The Pitsmoor Adventure Playground CIO is the Lord Mayors’ Charity for 2015, established by the community who rallied together to save the playground after coming under threat of closure in 2013. A team of volunteers dedicate their time to create a safe and inclusive environment for local children enabling physical activity, good citizenship and life skills.

The Live Project Team, have offered a fresh perspective of ideas and observations that could improve the overall experience of the Adventure Playground. From the start, our goal was to work with the playground to produce a physical outcome of great value. An overall design approach and several built interventions were used to initiate the process of improvements, a process the playground has continued already.

Through studying the surrounding context and interviewing community members, we proposed ideas to enhance the role of the playground as a vital community asset. Passive and active survey techniques developed a richer understanding of playground life; mapping the children’s movements, engaging directly in play and running a ‘loose parts’ activity workshop. We used inspiration boards to engage the children in the development process asking them to put gold stars on ideas they liked the best. Together we were able to devise a system of both short term and long term solutions using the existing playground layout.

A document has been created as a tool for the client in their ongoing endeavors to improve the playground. In addition to the built interventions; Roof Garden, Tyre land, Pipe Forest and Mud Kitchen, we have provided them with the means and knowledge to continue this process on their own. The master-plan gives them a strategy to follow and includes design information so they can consult builders or raise funds through sponsorships and charity events. An update-able harvest map, details local businesses who are willing to donate future construction materials. Alongside this, we have created a number of media resources for the playground to aid with future funding bids, and to otherwise promote the playground.

Our video: The Story of Pitsmoor Adventure Playground can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpAvrkVV061

We hope that the Pitsmoor Adventure Playground will continue to evolve, thrive and develop, so that all children will be able to play together, learn together and give back to the community for many years to come.