Category Archives: Community Playgrounds

Case Study: Honoring Paco Sanchez Through Play

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Case Study: Honoring Paco Sanchez Through Play

 

Client:  Denver Parks and Recreation

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Goal: Engage with citizens to find the right design to honor the community and local heroes while revitalizing the underutilized space into an  eye-catching destination to be used for years to come.

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Solution: Community members, Denver parks and Recreation, and Landscape Structures Inc communicated and collaborated to come up with the design of Paco Sanchez park featuring a custom microphone component to pay homage to local DJ Paco Sanchez while promoting health and wellness within the community through play. An elevated bridge to the tower allows children and adults of all abilities to experience structure. This created a park environment where locals and people outside the area would be drawn to its unique design and functionality. The success of the park has become an example for other areas to take note of for how to keep communities active.

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Click to read the full story of Paco Sanchez Park

Barb’s Day of Honor 2019

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Barb’s Day of Honor is celebrated at Landscape Structures Inc. every year on March 4th since losing the day’s namesake and Landscape Structures co founder, Barb King in 2008. Her legacy lives on through her many lifetime accomplishments and the way she impacted those around her. This positive influence is evident in the many stories and anecdotes shared by friends, family, and coworkers on this day.

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“Our highest purpose is to make a difference in the world – create a better place for children and families.”

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One of Barb’s personal passions was advocating for healthier lifestyles for children and sparking an appreciation of nature in them. Barb founded the non profit Säjai® Foundation in honor of this commitment. Their mission is focused on teaching children the value of healthy living and encouraging an exploration  of the outdoors. This legacy continues through the merging of the Säjai® Foundation with Camp Fire in May 2013. Camp Fire serves more than 250,000 youths and families through outdoor activities with an emphasis on camping.
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Search our hashtag #HonoringBarbKing on Instagram or Twitter to read more about Barb King’s personal impact on others (or to add your own story!) or check out our Barb King Day post on Facebook.
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Barb’s Inspiration Park (Delano, MN)

Introducing: The We-Go-Round®!

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Movement and socialization are both important aspects of play, which is why we decided to put them together with the creation of the We-Go-Round™! Our new, inclusive We-Go-Round™ allows for children of all abilities to experience all the fun of a classic merry go round with none of the restrictions. The design features strategic seating that accommodates wheelchairs (even those without a wheel-locking mechanism) as well as  your choice of two or three benches and room to stand!

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The center handhold lets riders control their own spinning speed while teaching them about their own movement and speed limitations. Its circular shape is perfect for socializing with everyone inside! Built in resistance mechanisms maintain a reasonable speed when being turned from the outside.

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Rides like the We-Go-Round™ allow for children to learn valuable information about their play experiences. The spinning motion develops balance and motor planning while engaging their visual and vestibular systems. Learning about the way their body moves through space advances their sensory experience- and this physical education is open to children of all abilities through the We-Go-Round™!

 

What Play Means to Us

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Play isn’t a static idea, which is why we chose to portray our story as a video in Play Will Always Shape Us. There is no right or wrong way to approach play, and the structures we choose to incorporate into play should reflect that. A child’s imagination is limitless, regardless of what their physical selves are able to do. This is what makes inclusion during play so important.

“Play never said, “Be careful, you’re not strong enough, you’re not big enough, you’re not brave enough.”

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Play is all around us if we choose to look around and see it. Play is everything. It asks us to learn together from one another as we grow. The spirit of play lives inside all of us, if only we choose to listen to it.

 “Play begs of us, “Learn together. Grow together. Be together. Know together.”

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No matter what the world comes at us with, keeping a child-like outlook reminds us that our imagination will never fail us. We are limitless in play.

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And play will always shape us.

Case Study: Play Reimagined

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Client: City of Denver Parks and Recreation Department

Landscape Architect: Dig Studio, Denver, Colo.

Goal: Get children and families outdoors and encourage life-long active and healthy lifestyles in a revitalized park environment.

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Solution: The giant 1950’s microphone-inspired tower heralds the horizon, but the built-in play value is what really makes this park honoring local radio DJ Paco Sanchez truly extraordinary. Brilliant colors and bold presence aside, it’s the imaginative use of the musical references that do the hard work of delivering dynamic play. Notes and scales offer footholds. Sound waves create netted climbing adventures. Chimes travel with kids as they run across the bridge.

Read more about how the City of Denver Parks and Recreation Department engaged the community and its culture through the transformation of Paco Sanchez Park.

Design Matters. Play Matters More.

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We design playstructures to complement their surroundings. But more than that, we design them to complement childhood. Every aesthetic choice is also a choice for fun, for growth, for learning, for exploration. All the things that make play part of shaping better adults. And that’s what really matters.

2019 Playground Equipment Catalog

You’ll find everything you need to complete your play environment. From new products to featured designs, individual components and fitness equipment, we’ll ensure your play space is everything you imagine and more. Browse our 2019 Playground Catalog, then request a copy.

2019 SkyWays Catalog

Give kids and families much-needed heat and sun protection while visiting any play, rest or activity area. From small to big shade, decorative to themed shade, we have flexible and stylish options for everywhere people like to gather. Browse the SkyWays® Shade Products virtual catalog, then request a copy.

2019 Aquatix Catalog

Our imaginative designs continue to advance the world of dynamic water events—achieving new levels of chilling thrills, challenging interactive games and inventive water-based activities. Invite kids and families of all ages and abilities to immerse themselves in the brilliance of an Aquatix® water experience. Browse the 2019 Aqua Play Catalog, then request a copy.

Play Will Always Shape Us

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Play is powerful. It instills important values like leadership, perseverance and cooperation in kids. That’s why we design playgrounds that add value to kids’ experiences, and bring individuals of all ages and abilities together for play. Play is everything, and no matter our age, we come back to what we know… Play will always shape us.

We are proud to lead the conversation about the power of play with this video, and want to help you lead the conversation in your communities. Request a download of our Video Discussion Guide here.

Help us spread the important message heard in this video by sharing it with your family, friends and colleagues on social media. And be sure to tell us how play has shaped your life using #shapedbyplay.

The best of 2018

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2018 has been an amazing year… filled with great products, projects and messages. See the best of 2018 in the form of our most read blog posts.

1. Spreading the message of inclusion
We’re working with Shane’s Inspiration to promote the animated short film, “Ian,” which aims to help children understand disability and spread the message of inclusion.

2. Bringing literacy to the playground
The Loft family has grown to include the Fire Station and Market Cafe with even more developmentally appropriate activities including literacy prompts.

3. How to design nature playground environments
Design a playground or outdoor learning environment that encourages kids (and their families) to be outside and reconnect with nature.

4. Five considerations for your toddler and preschool playground
To help you create a dream playground for your daycare or preschool that focuses on toddlers’ developmental needs in mind, we created a fun infographic.

5. Big fun comes in small packages
Smart Play® playstructures pack a lot of activities into compact structures, taking kids from early crawling exploration on up to active climbing and social play to a challenging course for older children.

Thank you for tuning in to Together We Play in 2018. We’re looking forward to an exciting year of play; tell us below what you’d like to see more of in 2019 and we’ll do our best to share it here.

Happy Holidays

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Happy Holidays!

At this special time of year, we would like to thank you for partnering with us to shape children’s lives through play. Together, we’re creating amazing play spaces for individuals of all ages and abilities.

And that is something to celebrate!

Happy holidays from all of us at Landscape Structures, Aquatix and SkyWays.