TY - JOUR
T1 - Evidence-based playground design
T2 - Lessons learned from theory to practice
AU - Refshauge, Anne Dahl
AU - Stigsdotter, Ulrika K.
AU - Lamm, Bettina
AU - Thorleifsdottir, Kristin
PY - 2015/2/17
Y1 - 2015/2/17
N2 - This paper develops, explores and evaluates an evidence-based approach to playground design, with a public park playground (playlab Cph) in Copenhagen as a case study. In the increasingly urbanised world, park playgrounds are valuable places that support healthy child development by providing opportunities for play, nature exploration and sensory stimulation. As it is increasingly expected that designers base their decisions on research evidence, there is a need to develop approaches to facilitate this, which also applies to playground design. The design of PlayLab Cph was based on relevant evidence, best practice, and the theories of Affordances and Behaviour Settings. A post-occupancy evaluation was carried out through a questionnaire survey and observation studies, which revealed that a majority of the potential evidence-based affordances were actualised, and that the application of the theories resulted in a more informed design. Although preliminary, this evidence-based approach seems valuable for practitioners and students within the field of playground design.
AB - This paper develops, explores and evaluates an evidence-based approach to playground design, with a public park playground (playlab Cph) in Copenhagen as a case study. In the increasingly urbanised world, park playgrounds are valuable places that support healthy child development by providing opportunities for play, nature exploration and sensory stimulation. As it is increasingly expected that designers base their decisions on research evidence, there is a need to develop approaches to facilitate this, which also applies to playground design. The design of PlayLab Cph was based on relevant evidence, best practice, and the theories of Affordances and Behaviour Settings. A post-occupancy evaluation was carried out through a questionnaire survey and observation studies, which revealed that a majority of the potential evidence-based affordances were actualised, and that the application of the theories resulted in a more informed design. Although preliminary, this evidence-based approach seems valuable for practitioners and students within the field of playground design.
U2 - 10.1080/01426397.2013.824073
DO - 10.1080/01426397.2013.824073
M3 - Journal article
SN - 0142-6397
VL - 40
SP - 226
EP - 246
JO - Landscape Research
JF - Landscape Research
IS - 2
ER -