Evidence-based playground design: Lessons learned from theory to practice

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 -