The Vondelpark is the major city park in Amsterdam, used by residents and visitors alike. Carve was commissioned to help with the renovation of the park, and created two new projects: the Vondeltowers and the Canopy Walk. These relatively small interventions have a significant impact on the space of the park, creating new ways of experiencing the environment. One of the things that was missing from the Vondelpark was a challenging playground for all ages. Carve set out to fill this need, while minimizing the impact on open space.
In order to minimize the impact of their design, Carve embedded the playground into an underutilized forested area. Further, they raised the play area up off the ground, into the tree canopies themselves. The result is a highly challenging 75 meter long canopy walk, that consists of climbing platforms, rope bridges, transparent netting, and tree trunks. When the canopies are full of leaves in the summertime, the walkway becomes almost invisible – the ultimate secret play space within the urban setting of this park. With this design, the need for safety surfacing is limited, with woodchips used at either end of the structure. This walkway serves park users of all ages, drawing in children and adults alike.
