10 Conceptual Urban Playscapes: 7) Drapers Field
Drapers Field was redesigned as part of the Olympic upgrade in London in 2014, by Kinnear Landscape Architects. It was the first park to be designed for the Olympics that would also benefit existing communities. The aim was to provide:
“a legacy that encouraged children and young people into sport, through play and informal activity. Therefore, a main aim for the park was to create a place of sport and play on the route to school at Chobham Academy, which is located within the Olympic Village.”
The school route is part of the London Cycling Campain effort to make safer cycling routes to school, and it includes fun obstacles to help with basic bike skills.
Ben Smith of Kinnear Landscape Architect at KLA comments:-
“The corrugated surface – or waves – are fundamental to the scheme allowing the whole space to become intrinsically playful without clear definition of function. This ambiguous nature, creates all kinds of dynamic and unpredictable opportunities for social interaction, play and community cohesion between different user groups.”
Combining a fun and active play space with a route to school is great for kids and parents in the area to encourage kids to walk, bike or scooter to school which is good for their health and well-being while also being safer. This would encourage kids to go to school by themselves without parental supervision which is helpful for families and fosters independence in children.
Drapers Field reminds me of the group project I did in my minor, Sustainability. We wanted to encourage active ways to enjoy the suburb of Otahuhu, so we focussed on making the journey to school safer and more fun. It also included a similar wave ramp and fun painted pedestrian crossings to encourage fun on the way to school and safety by using the footpaths and crossings correctly, which is particularly useful for unsupervised children on their way to and from school.