BASE’s unique playground design is based on abstraction. There are the suggestions of familiar forms, such as a pirate ship, but the entire playground remains open to imagination and interpretation. The playground is built on steeply sloping ground, and the design is inspired by the concept of the playhouse. Central to the design process was community consultation, and the final design draws on suggestions made by both children and adults that live in the area.
BASE’s free-flowing design is meant to evoke a wide variety of spaces: a mountain range, a pirate ship, medieval fortifications. This means that it can continually take on new identities inspired by children’s imaginations. To cater to a wide variety of age groups, BASE made use of the sloping site and created different inclinations that correspond to different levels of difficulty. Play elements are incorporated into these slopes, including netting, balance beams, climbing holds, and echo tubes.
BASE’s website makes note of the fact that, despite record numbers of children playing here since its opening, there have been no reported injuries. This suggests that children are able to assess their own abilities and make good decisions about which parts of the play structure are well suited to them. Thus, separate play structures are not needed for separate age groups, and children with physical abilities that are different from other kids their age can easily be included.
