a+u 668 26:05 Spaces for Play

The magazine explores how architects insert play into built environments for children and adults alike. Play is often overlooked in urban design, as shown by "Tracing Van Eyck", which notes that fewer than 20 of Aldo van Eyck's 700 Amsterdam playgrounds remain. Projects like Nami Play Pavilion demonstrate flexible interventions in housing contexts, while GiganteBlu activates heritage sites. Material diversity shapes experience, from Pod for Happiness's local materials to Boulder Park's 3D-printed forms. Rita Lee Park and Color Pit show how to repair ageing urban spaces. Altogether, play spaces are framed as catalysts for imagination among users, designers, and builders alike.