The playground is located on the territory of a large shopping center in a residential area of Moscow. Such public spaces are a great opportunity to spend time with family or friends, especially when it is difficult to get to the city center.

Visiting shops can be tiring, so after a couple of hours in the shopping center, toddlers and school-age children need to relax, while parents need to recharge. That’s why we designed a playground that offers a place for active play while also serving as a sensory space.

The central elements are two towers connected by a walkway. This creates a closed route where one can spend a lot of time, climbing up, sliding down the slides, and coming up with various ways to overcome obstacles. The towers attract attention from afar, inviting people to the playground, and also serve the important function of transitioning from the large scale of the building to the human scale.

For the little ones, there is a spacious sandbox and a climbing wall with a slide. Interestingly, not only toddlers but also teenagers climb the wall as it offers a good view of the entire playground, allowing one to observe what is happening without actively participating. The sandbox is separated from the main part of the playground by a wooden border, which can be used for balancing or as a surface for playing with sand, drawing, and object-based games.

The climbing wall separates a quiet zone for solitude – a kind of secret space. Initially, it was not intended to be functional, but it became a pleasant place with a forest atmosphere. Not many people know about it, and it smells nice with the scent of pine tree bark.

In this project, we are especially proud of our wood work. The climbing elements, flooring, and resting areas were developed in collaboration with our talented wood contractor, Mikhail Naimark, which allowed us to pay attention to details and find beautiful solutions. For example, the layout of the boards on the flooring is itself playful: it indicates the direction, turns in some places, and stops in others. For some elements, we introduced color. Usually, we cautiously use this technique, preferring natural textures, but in this case, we were able to find harmonious combinations. Thanks to brushing, the wood texture remains visible, adding even more beauty.

The wooden flooring “embraces” the playground and serves its main function – a place for rest and communication. It also serves as a “parking” space for bicycles and strollers. Several interactive game elements are also placed on it. In the evening, the playground is illuminated, creating a cozy and warm atmosphere in the cold seasons.

Project Data

Landscape Architecture: AFA Group
Design year: 2019-2020
Year Built: 2021
Manufacturer of playground equipment: Richter Spielgeraete 

Streetview may show the condition before the intervention