Imagination Playground

IMAGINATION PLAYGROUND IN NEW YORK, UNITED STATES

Imagination Playground is a play space in New York City designed by David Rockwell. It encourages children to create their own play area using loose parts. The soundscape was taken into account during the design process, with adjustments made using sound lab simulations. The initiators were the Rockwell Group and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and the project was implemented in 2010.

2010

CONTEXT

Imagination Playground is a creative space designed by architect David Rockwell that encourages children to build their own play area using foam blocks, mats, wagons, fabric, and crates [1]. The project's clients, the Rockwell Group and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, requested that the soundscape be considered due to concerns about noise levels at the site [2].

Present day

INTERVENTION STRATEGIES

The Arup Acoustics conducted an assessment of the soundscape in various playgrounds in New York, including the proposed new playground, to identify strategies to enhance the acoustic environment. They recorded audio from different playgrounds and compared the soundscape of the new playground with existing ones. The team used a sound lab to made adjustments to the design based on the simulated impact on the soundscape in order to better optimize the acoustic environment of the playground [2].

References

[1] Imagination Playground at Burling Slip. Retrieved 7th March 2023, from https://www.rockwellgroup.com/projects/imagination-playground–burling-slip

[2] Payne, S. R., Davies, W. J., & Adams, M. D. (2009). Research into the practical and policy applications of soundscape concepts and techniques in urban areas.

Entry submitted by: Xiaochao Chen