Delano's Landscape Structures builds some of the biggest playgrounds here and abroad

Playgrounds have changed significantly in the past two decades, and they continue to morph.

When Landscape Structures creates a new piece of playground equipment, the staff invite a group of kids to the company's sprawling Delano headquarters to try it out.

After 45 minutes, they conduct the pizza test.

"We bring in fresh, hot pizza," creative director Scott Roschi told Axios. "If the kids don't stop what they're doing to come get the pizza, we know we have something because it's a true tell of how much fun they're having."

Why it matters: Landscape Structures' (LSI) local staff of around 500 — plus a select group of Twin Cities test kids — have shaped the way children play, from Shoreview to Brooklyn, N.Y., to Singapore.

By the numbers: LSI builds 1,500 to 2,000 playgrounds a year for cities, schools, and private companies across the country and internationally. They can range from tens of thousands of dollars for small pocket parks to millions for destination playgrounds.