WHENUA-ROA / D'OYLY RESERVE PLAYSPACE

The redevelopment of Whenua-roa/D’Oyly Reserve is a collaborative effort with the local school and Auckland Council, with the students providing valuable ideas which have been translated into the playspace. Building on the rockets/space idea that the students provided, the playspace is designed in a way to encourage social and creative play. Within the playspace the children can race and ‘travel’ from one planet to the other, try to turn the ‘meteor’ spinning wheel as quickly as possible or try the traditional Māori game – Whanowhano, not forgetting the essential swings, slides and a rocket rocker for the younger age group, providing a variety of play experiences for the local children. The inclusion of native planting and careful consideration of the surrounding landscape context is also important for the students and is reflected in the playspace design, all plant species are carefully chosen for their durability and relevance to the wider context.