Priory Park

 

Client:       Newham Council

Budget:     £315,000

Date:         2010

The existing playground was a wide flat site with one old piece of inclusive play equipment next to a school with a large number of special needs pupils. The design was loosely based on the old quarry pits that used to be on the site with rippling hills rolling out from a central water play area. The old inclusive play equipment was adapted and extended into with additional rope bridges and towers. Birch trees were planted to create the eventual feeling of a tree top walk to a wide high slide with a wide scramble net accessible by less able bodied children. A more challenging route led across balance ropes strung between giant metal sculpted grass stalks. Adjacent to the water play was a sand pit accessible to wheelchairs with a series of sculpted concrete channels through which the water from the water jets flowed that could be dammed. The overflow from the water jets lead to a pond area to add bio diversity to the site. Bespoke wind moved metal banners announced the entrance to the site.