Glen Eira Sports and Aquatic Centre

It's a building, it's a boat

Landscape Structures playground consultants, Playscape Creations, shared with us their client’s desire for their new playstructure to be a boat that visually complemented the architectural features of the adjacent aquatic facility. With pictures of the building for reference and continued collaboration with Playscape Creations, Landscape Structures concept designer Tory Roff was off and running.

Tell a new story

“The building has this really unique, swooping geometry, and we wanted to play with that and coordinate it with this whole aquatic concept,” says Tory. In the end, only three rounds of concepts were required. That’s quick, especially for working from halfway around the world.

"Sometimes it's fun to throw away the instructions and re-imagine what else is possible."Tory RoffConcept Designer, Landscape Structures

“At Landscape Structures, we have all these different product lines, materials and solutions, and a big part of what we do is reformulate new concepts with these components,” explains Tory. “In this case, it’s taking the Mobius® Climber and reworking how we use it to see how we can tell a new story and create a different experience.” 

Look at it sideways

The Mobius Climbers were turned on their sides and upside down to create the outlines of the boat. By interconnecting the panels, kids receive a more fluid climbing and navigating experience. It’s a move away from the prescriptive mode of play toward more kid-driven play.

Nets were incorporated to further illustrate the boat silhouette and provide additional play opportunities. As Tory tells it, “From the Landscape Structures perspective, this was a simple design. We already had the panels and nets—we just invented a new way to incorporate them.”

Inside surprise

The Mobius Climbers were turned on their sides and upside down to create the outlines of the boat. By interconnecting the panels, kids receive a more fluid climbing and navigating experience. It’s a move away from the prescriptive mode of play toward more kid-driven play.

Nets were incorporated to further illustrate the boat silhouette and provide additional play opportunities. As Tory tells it, “From the Landscape Structures perspective, this was a simple design. We already had the panels and nets—we just invented a new way to incorporate them.”

Keep looking forward

This unique playstructure is an ideal cross-section between theme and good play value. Using existing components, the designers at Landscape Structures were able to create an iconic space that beckons to kids and sticks in their memories: “This is the park with the boat!”

"We keep building on our past successes. Every year we challenge ourselves to re-imagine the possibilities of what a playground can really be." Tory Roff, Vision and Product Insights Landscape Structures

“Even with pre-existing components, we are a design-build company at heart,” says Tory. “Problem-solving is part of the design process. And with custom, we’re always learning and pushing more as to what’s possible. When something’s successful, then it’s time to take it to the next level.”