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OBSERVATIONAL DIAGRAM

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DESIGN ELEMENTS

PARKING PLAN

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The design philosophy was very holistic. Simplistic. Focus on how the space is used before you decide how it needs to be augmented. Have a discourse with those who use the space to find out what needs to be added or changed. Consider the users not only physically but, in this case developmentally, and design from there.

Our site is a playground and the primary users are children between 5 and 13 years old. The age range was the primary consideration. How do you satisfy the youngest of children who are just learning to walk backwards, jump with both feet, are eager to learn, and very moody in terms of playing with others. How do you satisfy the apathetic pre-teen, the socialite, the athlete.

The common theme was challenge, and context. We wanted to add changes in landscapes that may seem huge to the younger children, but just the perfect size for sitting with friends for the older children. We wanted to create locations (spots) that one could identify with “as a 7th grader” and remember even when they had left the school. There are obviously further iterations that would be appropriate to this site (such as a “Learning Garden”), however, we feel that the interventions we have proposed would be excellent additions to any playscape.

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After observing how children utilized their space during freeplay at LHCS, we engaged with them, asking what additions they would like to see in their space. As could have been expected, answers ranged from the extremes to the sensible. We worked to incorporate the desires for seating and relaxation, while promoting challenge and providing context to various specific areas. We drew heavily from the 7C’s promoted by Susan Herrington in her Informational Guide to Young Children’s Outdoor Spaces, along with an understanding that fancy equipment doesn’t necessarily have as much to offer a child as a mound of dirt might.

The first land formation is called “the Hill” for obvious reasons. The main purpose was to provide a varying playscape that offers a challenge to smaller children (due to the stepping), provides comfortable niches for relaxation (as requested by the older children, and providing a hierarchy in vertical form that be a cause for adventure.

The second formation is called “the Path”. It is a continuous loop with varying elevations off the ground. Its was primarily designed to connect the various well-used areas of the playground, but also functions to benefit the children who like to make continuous loops around the field walking with friends during recess. It also serves as seating, although benches can be stationed at intervals around the path.

Name: The HillConstruction: Mainly SoilVolumetric: 239 Cubic MetersCost From Site: $ 2151Cost Off Site: $ 7170

Name: The PathConstruction: Soil (Berm)Volumetric: 107 Cubic MetersCost From Site: $ 963Cost Off Site: $ 3210

DESIGN ELEMENTS

Many of the younger children explained to us during our conversations, that the bushes outside of the lot boundaries and at the neigbouring fences, were used as make-shift houses for playing “house. This lead to the logical conclusion that “house structures” could be manufactured to accommodate various “families” and provide timeless fun. Each house should have seating. The houses are elevated to various levels on individual “lots”, and these platforms should be graded to ground level.

Of the requests that ranged from “paintball arena”, “water and dolphins”, the return of the “beehive structure”, and “rollercoasters”; the most sane and unanimous request from all age groups was swings! So we gave it to them.

Above all, we saw the need for seating. If not for the children, then requested by the teachers who have to stand all recess. While many younger children are active during free-play, much of the “play” of those in the older grades (5-8) is purely social and involved standing with their friends to talk. They stand because they cannot sit (especially when the grass is wet). So we would very much like to offer choices in seating wherever possible. Whether the solution is benches and tables, or rock-like structures near the basketball courts, we leave it up to the school to decide.

In future developments we would like to follow the suggestions of Susan Herrington in the introduction of plants and other living organisms into the play environment in the form of a “Learning Garden”. It will include different textures in both the soil and types of plants, all which would be native to the area.

Name: SwingsConstruction: Metal and ConcreteEstimated Cost: $ 750

Name: SeatingConstruction: Metal, Wood and ConcreteEstimated Cost: $ 800 - 1000 each

Name: HousesConstruction: Soil and ConcreteVolumetric: 88 Cubic MetersCost From Site: $ 792Cost Off Site: $ 2640

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The parking arrangement largely mimics existing movement patterns that have informally evolved in the existing parking layout. The naturalized islands is meant to prevent the double parking that has been so frequent in the existing layout and ensure constant movement in a singular counter-clockwise direction. The loading zone closest to the existing structure has been designed to incorporate a single loading lane and an adjacent passing lane to ensure congestion does not occur.

The parking lot includes 25 single parking spaces and five accessible parking spaces closest to the entrances of the school. The garbage containers have been moved slightly over to accommodate new parking spaces near the exit of the lot. The containing fence will also be revamped in order to obstruct neighbour’s visual perception of the parking facility.

PARKING PLAN

Herrington, S. (2007). An Informational Guide to Young Children’s Outdoor Play Spaces: 7C’s. Consortium for Health, Intervention, Learning and Development . Vancouver: West coast Chldcare Resource Centre.

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