Creating play spaces that bring communities together.

The consent conditions of the Waterview Connection Project explicitly required a replacement playground in Waterview Reserve; both to replace the old one (previously located in the existing reserve) and as mitigation to the local community for the significant disruption caused by the motorway project. A design brief was established with Auckland Council based on the consent conditions.

In recognition of the significant impact that the project had on the students of Waterview School, we developed a series of interactive consultation and design workshops with the children. Our design team undertook a series of visits to Waterview School, getting to know the kids and undertaking imaginative and physical modelling exercises which could then be interpreted and workshopped into a final design.

Location

Auckland

Project date

2012 - 2015

Awards

Best Practice Award | Consultation and Participation Strategies and Processes | NZPI Annual Awards

The final design has a water-based theme in response to the coastal location. It includes a tower slide with views out towards the harbour, sandpit areas and two water play spaces including sprayers, water cannons, dams, weirs and channels in which water can be diverted before it falls into planted rain gardens and swales. A conscious decision was made to create a play area with a natural feel and colour scheme.

The Albert Eden Local Board provided additional funding to broaden the brief and include more water play elements, barbeques, a fale for shade and a sculptural waka feature.

The playground caters for toddlers through to youth age groups, with tunnelled mounds separating the play areas. Play elements have been selected to provide for challenge and social interaction, such as a three-metre climbing wall; and inclusive features such as a sensory bridge and basket swings. A circulating path appeals to young riders and scooters.

Since opening, the playground has proven to be extremely popular, very busy, and has continually received positive feedback on social media and the industry sector.