Landscape Led Design

Case Study - Higher Holway, Taunton Deane

Budget: £130,000

“Together a team of professionals and young people have created a unique play space for Taunton. It looks fantastic, the young people love it and it is already proving a magnet for them.”

Karen Hughes – Leisure Development Manager, Taunton Deane Borough Council

The Project

Taunton Deane Borough Council wanted to create a play area that reflected the real needs of the community and transform the flat grassy space into a showcase Playbuilder site.

Louise Baugh, a landscape architect from Swan Paul Partnership worked with Proludic, Taunton Council and Barnardos to best transform the community ideas into a play area that followed a landscape-led approach to achieving a play area that compliments the park surrounding and enhances the opportunities for play.

One of the key aspects was to develop pockets of activity, altering the ground contours to position the equipment in an exciting and natural environment. Careful consideration was given to the size and shape of the natural elements to ensure they provided the right level of challenge for the intended age group.

A subtle blend of hard and soft materials were chosen as a pallet, such as sand and low level planting around toddler equipment or boulders and tougher materials for the more boisterous older age group.

“The play space has a pleasant character and ‘feel’, and illustrates many of the benefits of designing a landscape setting alongside the equipment. "

Aileen Shackell – Lead author of the Design for Play guide.

Project Photos