Playable Ground

Abstract

Playing outside is of vital importance to children's mental and physical health; play is a biological necessity that teaches children the skills they will need in order to survive as adults. Yet the colorful and ubiquitous playground structures found in most parks often fall short of their full potential. These plastic playgrounds, which should serve as catalysts for creative thought and action in children, are limited in their sameness. Furthermore, the playground structures, which are manufactured in bulk and then bolted onto the ground at their final destinations, have little connection to their sites. I propose to investigate the characteristics of playgrounds in Washington, DC, and to use this investigation as a catalyst in the creation of a different type of grounds for play. I will create a playable ground which utilizes the specific qualities of site to engage children to move their bodies and their minds in imaginative ways.