Blackrock Park, Dublin

Tenderers were requested to create a natural play area comprising of several distinct and individual sub spaces to inspire imaginative play, adventure and movement.

In the main natural play space, our design proposal involved the manipulation of ground through careful earthworks to create a rolling, meandering collection of undulations with mounds and depressions carefully weaved through the existing trees to create natural, engaging play spaces. The Brent Goose structure on its grass mounded nest, in reference to the Brent Geese using the park for foraging is the centre point of the main play area. There is also an enclosed neurodivergent space with smaller goose springer units and sculpture. All of the equipment zones are linked by accessible ballylusk dust paths which snake through the mounds and berms.

An enclosed, gated toddler play space was included in our design using the same timber and materials proposed throughout the project. Constructive and manipulative play was an important element of the brief so we included sand play equipment such as diggers, play tables and receptacles. This is surrounded by an accessible path which cambers down without any raised edges to sand play area. This inclusive toddler play area is suitable for children of all abilities with plenty of seating for carers and space for buggies and bicycles

The design for Blackrock Park was created by our designers based in our Galway office and our KOMPAN Design Studio team - we wanted to create a custom unit that would meet the specification while providing hours of fun and imaginative play. Learn more about our custom projects here.