15 August 2008

Amasing children environments: Carve - Redesigning The Playground

Corbu's Building Gained A Creature
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The Carpenter Centre for the Visual Arts
at Harvard University in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, is the only major Le
Corbusier-designed building in North America.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of this
building some time ago, a crazy-looking
temporary puppet theater was constructed
within its sunken courtyard.

Apparently, great engineering and technical
features held this odd little theatre
together, but we are much more fascinated
by its appearance. The theatre resembles
an alien mega-crawley, some sort of an
animal -- perhaps subterranean or even
submarine -- that managed to disguise
itself with AstroTurf as a benign being
but was in fact, a voracious, people-
eating igloo. It lurks under the overhang,
waiting to devour unsuspecting keeners of
puppetry.

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French conceptual artist Pierre Huyghe
and Harvard assistant professor of
architecture, Michael Meredith,
collaborated on the structure using the
help of computer technology and a team of
GSD students. For them, metaphorical
identities for the structure included an
egg, a seed, a tumor, an alien spacecraft,
and Le Corbusier’s brain. The structure
was built with 500 white polycarbonate
panels – each unique in shape -- held
together by 2,000 bolts to form a rigid
frame covered in real moss, not its plastic
imitation.

Regardless, we think it is a live creature
as emphasized by the entrance, which is a
soft, flexible, mouth-like opening built so
that it appeared to frame a tree when
viewed from the innards.

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The puppet opera performance told the
story of the Carpenter Centre with Corbu
himself appearing in marionette form.
The performance was created by Huyghe
who works with many media forms, from
film to puppetry to “public
interventions.” In 2002, he won the
the Guggenheim Museum's biennial $100,000
Hugo Boss Prize, one of the premier juried
prizes of the contemporary art world.
By Tuija Seipell

Taka-Tuka-Land Kindergaten - Berlin


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Yummy! Wow! Ooops! The playful, colorful and juicy
Taka-Tuka-Land kindergarten in Berlin evokes a
rambunctious reaction. You hear the kids at play.
You see the bright colors. You sense the kids are happy. 
So it is no wonder that the students who designed and
created this funhouse call their approach “sensuous
architecture.”

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Baupiloten is a group of architecture students who
during their studies at Faculty VI, Institute for
Architecture at Berlin Technical University (Technische
Universität Berlin) develop their own projects from
concept to implementation under professional guidance.
Architect Susanne Hoffmann founded Baupiloten (Bau=
build, Piloten=pilot) in 2003 and has headed it since 2004.

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The Taka-Tuka-Land kindergarten was originally erected
as a temporary solution, but with the fantastic Baupiloten
approach to the refurbishment, it has become a permanent
place for children.
The Taka-Tuka-Land is part of the Pippi Longstocking lore
created by the Swedish author Astrid Lindgren. Pippi in
Taka-Tuka Country is a movie based on one of her novels.
The children at the kindergarten and their teachers
created collages, models, drawings and ideas based on
Taka-Tuka Land with bridges, huts, merry-go-rounds
made of blossoms and thrones made of seashells. The
Baupiloten students then spent several days with the
children observing their daily routines, their schedules
and their ways of communication.

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From this extensive groundwork, the design story for
the space was developed. The building itself is Pippi’s
old oak tree that contains a lemonade factory. The
lemonade breaks through the bark of the tree and
flows outside creating padded play areas. The story
of the building is a trip through the seven stages of
the lemon tree, each facilitating a different activity:
The lemonade tree, Glittering lemonade in the sun,
Lemonade drops, The lemonade island, Waiting for
the parents, Lemonade gallery, The bark breaks open,
and Delving into lemonade. Pippi’s most likely verdict
would be “Jätte god!” By Tuija Seipell.

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Carve - Redesigning The Playground


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Ask a child what their favorite subject is at school, and
chances are they’ll say recess. It’s the one time during
the day when they are almost absolutely free to make
decisions for themselves – from who to play with, what
to play, and where to play. And as children grow, the
social dynamics of who can play where shifts and an
age-based pecking order ensues.

The Netherlands-based design team at Carve integrate
architectural expression into their playground design
thereby generating unique play experiences for children
of all ages. Don’t let the kids know, however that the
Carve team strives to encourage a cognitive process –
even during free time. This new equipment and play
structures stimulate decision-making, group and
continuous play (use of the same equipment in varying
way) encouraging children to climb, hang, swing, skate,
slide, run, jump, vault, hide.

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One of Crave’s creation in particular, the wall-holla, has
received special notoriety as it was nominated for the
Dutch Design Awards in 2006. Thirty children at once
can climb, crawl, roll and maneuver through the large
fence-like structure. Older children are able to scale
the climbing wall or just relax and look out over the
domain they’ve waited countless years to control. By
Andrew J Wiener.

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M-Lab


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Forget your traditional definition of an amusement
park, Wannado City leaves behind the cotton candy,
the solicitors of large stuffed animals, the mindless
entertainment and trash. Instead the “city” has
redefined child entertainment with aspirational
activities, all of which are framed around the question:
“What do you wanna do when you grow up?”

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Wannado City was crafted from the vision of Mexican-
born Luis Javier Laresgoiti, who had a eureka moment
while watching his daughter “play executive” on his
business phone. Laresgoiti, with the backing of several
major corporations has crafted a dream world where
children are encouraged to take on an adult profession
and see where it takes them. The park is located in
Sawgrass Mills Mall in Southern Florida.

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Each venue has its own concentration, such as the
Motorola-sponsored M-Lab that focuses on innovation
and invention. The M-Lab turns each visitor is given
a white lab coat and transformed into an “M-Ventor.”
The children are encouraged to work together on a
technology-based game to solve a difficult problem.
Once they’ve solved the situation at hand, they’re
greeted with a congratulatory “Mission Accomplished”
banner.

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M-Lab however, goes far above and beyond the standard
protocol for children’s playthings. The space was
designed in collaboration with Motorola and Gensler,
a self-proclaimed “global design, planning and
strategic consulting firm.” The M-Lab lures passer-
bys with its façade – clad in stark aluminum and
panelite – which contrasts with the surrounding
“quaint village” motif. Inside there are seven chambers,
each meticulously designed depending on the room’s
task at hand. The end result is a realistic series of rooms
that embrace each child’s fantasy of becoming the next
influential innovator. By L. Harper

E-Glue - Kids Wall Stickers


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We’ve been running into amazing walls recently (not
literally, of course, or at least not physically) and this
is giving us reassurance that “contractor beige” is not
the only wall colour imaginable or acceptable. So, you
can imagine the grins on our faces when we discovered
E-Glue. The 3 month old French based company started
 by designers who create super-fun wall adhesives for
kids rooms. The creative duo create all the illustrations
and hand-make all the products. They ship worldwide
but we see no reason to spoil the kids with such
extravagance. We are ordering some for the office. By
Tuija Seipel

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Customisable Cardboard Cot


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Here's one for parents nostalgic for the retro art of
"customisation" - a baby bed made of cardboard that
 comes with the implicit invitation for creative mums
 and dads to paint it, graffiti it....um, decoupage it.
Delivered plat-packed from France, it's an assemble
yourself deal (perfect for the IKEA generation who
still think living in a converted warehouse is a groovy
idea) and apparently ticks off all safety standards. Until,
presumably, a small child decides to suck on it. Cute,
simple, chic....and soggy. By Sarah W

RAMADA RESORT KARON BEACH, PHUKET (Kids
 Themed Rooms)


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Until now, the trend for themed hotel rooms has been
limited to boutique and art hotels that are strictly for
grown-ups. The recently opened Ramada Resort Karon
 Beach
in Phuket is one of the few that are taking the
trend and making it family friendly simply by creating
 fun and magical themed rooms just for kids.

The resort features 14 rooms in three different adventure
 themes such as the Outer Space Room, the Underwater
Room and the Castle Room. These themed rooms are all
 connected to adult rooms so that the entire family can
stay close together and enjoy the amenities of those
special rooms.

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Besides the cute themed decoration, the kids rooms
feature play-stations, DVD players and 32" TV. Games
 and movies are themed as well and specifically chosen
 for their kid-friendly content. All deluxe rooms and
suites are equipped with Kidz-friendly toy boxes, which
 will keep the kids busy in the evening and during any
bad weather spells.

Other venues in the hotel are also themed just for kids,
including a 1950's style rock & roll diner as its main
restaurant, another dining venue called the Magic Castle,
 which is decorated like a film-set. by Billy T.


      DRIP BIKE 4 SICK KIDSImage


Lets face it. Being a hospitalized kid sucks. Apart from
the obvious physical issues, the mental issues such as
 boredom can keep sick children feeling very low indeed.
 Design team, Jetske Verdonk, have come up with this
simple and fun solution to trailing a drip frame around
all day.

The Zieken+Huis is a drip-cum-tricycle which allows
the pint-size patient to zip around the ward whilst
remaining attached to their vital fluids and intravenous
 medication. In addition to this three wheeling wonder,
 the release of a curtain frame which drapes around the
patient's bed has also been launched.

The frame allows 'get well' cards to be hung around it,
 acting as a decoration for the otherwise sterile looking
 beds. by Billy T
KOOL KIDS SPACES


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Cool designs does not have to be limited to spaces used
by adults as we see with these unique areas designed to
enhance places of learning.

Forget the "concrete jungle" archetypal school, complete
 with bars on windows. This school's hallways (pictured
above) have been inspired by the imaginary landscape of
 the Silver Dragon. This environment is created to read
like a story book; the further you progress through the
hallways, the higher your senses are delighted. With
shimmering walls, glowing ceilings and a fantasy feel
resonating throughout the architecture, the children
engage on a higher social level within the school
environment.

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Traditionally, libraries also suffer from an image problem.
 Hordes of books coupled with the 'sshhhh' factor doesn't
 make for a very cool environment. By installing colorful
interiors such as oversized book sleeves, a learning space
such as the library is transformed into an area which kids
see as cool, and therefore are inspired to read and learn.

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A tree-inspired day care center is a far cry from fake
grass enhanced playgrounds. The tree trunk is the very
 foundation of the center, and as such creates the security
blanket for the entire structure. This center evokes a
warmth which the youngsters respond to. Dream Blossoms
grow out of the trunk and create sleeping areas for the
habitants to snuggle and nap in. Above the blossoms
sprawls the canopy of the

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In Lego-bright contrast to the gloomy fate H.C. Andersen
 prescribed to his original Little Mermaid (that would
be death, no less), today's blond little school-going Danes
 are encouraged to do the sort of things for which some
of us got spanked.

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Visual artists have created a school with fascinating
interiors that feature high window seating for watching
 the world outside; green platforms with round, red
holes where discussions can buzz and bubble, and large
 upholstered tubes where kids can hide with a good
book or spend some time alone. You can do that at
 school? Unfortunately, only in Denmark.

Children's bookstores, on the other hand, have not
suffered by the traditional libraries image problem.
Generally, these stores are designed and merchandised
to inspire children to enter and purchase.

The Kids Republic bookstore in Beijing (pic below) has
 taken that concept and run with it. Incorporating the
core design elements of a kid's playground, these
slipperyslide-inspired-shelves house books in an
incredibly fun way. Breaking from the traditional table
 and chair reading areas, padded L shaped reading
stools are used and enjoyed by tiny readers. Dull
lighting is replaced by snakelike fittings that radiate
 a variety of colors whilst providing adequate light
to read with.

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The choices for kid friendly restaurants, where both
parents and kids can enjoy a meal and an environment
which caters to both are rare finds. McDonalds have
probably lost count of how many times they have
dialed 911 to have a parent rescued from inside a
playground slippery tube where they have been stuck
 whilst attempting to get their child to come home.

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In a beautiful Dutch village, 10 minutes out from
Amsterdam's centre, a parents dream like, kid friendly
restaurant exists.

Praq is a restaurant where parents, outerwear and even
business people can enjoy a meal and co exist without
complaint. Children feel the sense of independence by
being seated in a kids area within moms view. There,
they can play with giant puzzles, draw, and order from
their very own menu whilst seated at their specially
designed kids table. The secret to the restaurants
success is the use of space.

Praq has been careful in separating these eating spaces
whilst still allowing a parent to keep an eye on their
child. The light spacious room creates the impression
of separation, whilst keeping safety in mind. The
children's food is so good, they don't need to promote
 it by adding in a free toy.

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Traditional cooking schools have always looked like a
giant classrooms full of mini kitchens. A kids cooking
school in Japan has broken that mould by having design
guru Moureaux create a studio space and new corporate
identity for them.

The cooking school, which is set in the heart of a shopping
area in the city of Kyoto, has created a space which
eliminates the intimidation factor which students encounter
when entering cooking schools. By seating the class
amongst brightly colored decor and sleek table and chairs,
the environment feels less like a class room. Here the kids
can not only cook in the casual teaching environment, they
can socialize and eat their homework too.

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With U.K parents said to be lashing out a cool GBP 1
billion a year on kids birthday parties, its easy to see
that the kids party industry is a gold mine. As
children's taste develop, so too does their demand for
the latest and greatest (think Veruca Salt in Willy
Wonka). For some parents, the age old sleep over is
being replaced by a girls night out at Alton Towers
Hotel in th U.K.

The hotel has it's own children's Sleep over Suite, a
theme room which caters for up to six sleeping
princesses who can indulge in the ultimate girls slumber
party. The sound proof room is perfect for 3am giggling
fits and Justin Timberlake blearing throughout the night.

The suite is divided into two areas. The party area
features an over the top entertainment system, karaoke
machine ('I will Survive' - Chipmunk version) mini dance
floor and a pink fridge filled with ice cream. The sleeping
area boasts chill out beds which connect into one big bed
for six occupants, a wall to wall mirrored bathroom which
is flowing with pampering products from U.K's leading
top brand superdrug (limitless branding opportunities
here).

At
£300 pounds per night (US $560), mom and dad have
outsourced the kids birthday party and only have to
worry about the drop off and pick up.

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Offering a kid a lollypop to welcome them into hospital
is so 1950's. Today, that sort of a deal just doesn't cut it.

Instead of bribery through confectionary, this children's
hospital in London has reinvented the concept of
infirmary and transformed it into inFUNery. Adorned
with cheerful, gently winding hospital corridors which
lead to wards which look more like kids bedrooms, the
hospital has mapped out themes for each of the wards.
From the Seashell Ward located on Beach level one,
through to the Sky level, each kids ward uses decor
and medical equipment that is colorful, creative looking
and non threatening.

With a glass atrium dividing the hospital, patients from
either side of the wards can look across to see an
inviting garden filled with plants, trees and yes,
Juggling clowns.

KIDS SPHERE HOTEL - Cocoons for sleeping


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It's the ultimate experience for kids, a night in an
alternative universe at the Kids Sphere Hotel in
Belgium. Known as the Atomium, a replica of an
iron molecule with nine aluminum spheres (built
for the World Fair of 1958), the complex has been
renovated and updated to include overnight
accommodation for childrens dubbed the Kid
Sphere hotel - set amongst the fascinating sci-fi
exhibitions and original spheres. Kids are
entertained by a packed calendar of events including
films and there's a restaurant at the top of the
structure boasting panoramic view of the city of
Brussels. by Billy T

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FREDDY SAYS


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Gone are the days when fashion was something only adults cared about. Babies and toddlers are now expected to be on the pulse with what's on the catwalks too. Enter Freddy Says & Rockabye baby, 2 admittedly cute kids label that makes printed t-shirts, including images of iPods and headphones, so junior can look just as cool as Daddy." by Lisa Evans

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