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Patrick Henry Village - Heidelberg, Germany This playground project was designed and developed by our founder, Eric Strickland. The facility is a large child development center for the US Army in Germany. It involved the full renovation of several age-specific playground areas. When we first interviewed this client, the site had high earth mounds embedded with boulders. Unfortunately, these mounds created multiple blind spots and homes for rabbit colonies. They also created a nightmare for maintenance, the steep sides, constant foot traffic and erosion turned grass mounds into bare dirt. Large sand areas allowed sand to spilled across concrete pathways, creating slippery surfaces and more maintenance headaches. After interviewing the staff, we developed a plan to incorporate staff ideas, Army design standards, and German environmental requirements. The resulting play environment provides full access to children with disabilities, open spaces for games, outdoor classrooms, physical challenges for infants through kindergartners, sand and water experiences, while reducing the maintenance load on base personnel. Downtown YWCA - Fort Worth, Texas The YWCA operates a childcare center in the busy downtown area of Fort Worth. With tight space and several site-specific problems to solve, this project shows clearly the unique capabilities of Grounds For Play. The available area wrapped around three sides of the building, and provided access to concrete steps down to a basement area of the building. As always, client input led to a full site plan. The resulting custom elements “soften” the harsh look of the concrete, eliminate exposure to hazards (concrete stairwells and metal rails) and provide age appropriate and accessible play opportunities. Playhouse window boxes bring plants into manageable contact with children. Custom storage elements tuck into small spaces without creating unnecessary blind spots. A variety of surfacing materials balances the need for low maintenance in an urban setting with the desire to create a natural oasis.
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