Great play space design starts with more than choosing playground, splash play or shade equipment. It starts with understanding the place, the people who will use it and the experience a community wants to create.

That idea is at the heart of the 2027 PLAY Book, our annual collection of standout playground, splash play and shade designs from across the country. This year’s edition features 15 projects that demonstrate how custom play space design and collaboration can transform outdoor spaces into memorable community destinations.

From imaginative custom playgrounds to environments that seamlessly bring together play, water and shade, each project offers a different answer to the same question:

What’s possible when great design leads the way?

Creating custom play space designs with a sense of place

Playgrounds have an important role in placemaking. A thoughtfully designed play environment reinforces the identity of a park, complements the surrounding landscape and helps turn an outdoor space into a destination where people want to gather.

That connection to place takes many forms throughout the 2027 PLAY Book.

At Redwood Park in Apple Valley, Minn., an imaginative ocean-inspired environment transforms the playground into an adventure, complete with a giant Kraken, lighthouse and lifeguard station. Beyond its visual impact, the design combines imaginative, physical and inclusive play opportunities to create a gathering place designed for the entire community.

In Boston, Clifford Playground uses art to become play. Inspired by the tools and imagination of an urban artist, the colorful custom playground carries its creative theme throughout the play space, from oversized paint-inspired elements to vibrant surfacing and opportunities for sensory, imaginative and shared play. The result shows how customization can do more than create visual impact. It can give a playground a distinct identity and turn a community gathering place into an experience all its own.

The results look completely different, and that’s the point. Custom play space design creates opportunities to tell the story of a place rather than simply fill its footprint.

Designing for more ways to play

Great design also considers how children experience a space.

Physical challenge is important, but play can also encourage imagination, problem-solving, sensory exploration. It can create opportunities for social interaction and moments to pause and recharge. Designing for varied experiences also helps more children find their way into play. This includes children of different ages, interests and abilities.

Inclusive playground design is part of that thinking from the beginning. It means considering access alongside the variety, challenge and developmental value of the experiences available throughout the space.

Across the 15 projects featured in the PLAY Book, those principles take different forms. There are spaces to climb high, move fast and test new skills, alongside opportunities for imaginative, sensory and social play. Together, they create environments that invite children to explore in their own ways and return to discover something new.

Looking beyond the playground

Some of the most compelling outdoor recreation spaces happen when playground equipment is considered as one part of a larger experience.

District 1876 Park in Coleman, Texas, illustrates that approach. Contemporary playground equipment works alongside an Aquatix® splash pad and SkyWays® shade to create a cohesive destination for the community. The park demonstrates how playground, splash play and shade can work together to extend the experience and create a comfortable gathering place for children and families.

Landscape architects and park and recreation professionals can consider how each element connects to the surrounding site. Color, materials and landscaping all contribute to the overall experience. Likewise, shade and water can help create a cohesive environment. Together, these elements create a space that feels intentional rather than assembled one piece at a time.

Collaboration turns ideas into destinations

Behind every distinctive play space is a collaborative design process.

Landscape Structures was founded by a landscape architect, and for more than 50 years, we’ve worked alongside landscape architects, designers, park and recreation professionals, and communities to bring their ideas to life.

Sometimes that means collaborating from the earliest sketches to develop a fully custom playground. Other times, it means providing design tools, planning resources, product expertise and inspiration that allow designers to lead the vision. There is no single path to a successful play environment because there is no single community, site or project goal.

That collaborative approach is reflected throughout the 2027 PLAY Book. In fact, the 15 featured projects vary in scale, style and setting, each demonstrates how thoughtful choices can create spaces that support community goals while delivering meaningful play experiences.

Find inspiration for your next play space

The 2027 PLAY Book is ultimately about possibilities.

Explore all 15 custom playground, splash play and shade projects, discover details worth a closer look and find inspiration for your next park, playground or outdoor recreation space. Prefer a copy you can keep nearby as you plan your next project? Request a PLAY Book.

See the 2027 PLAY Book in action.