The Children’s Garden is the Portland flagship location for the Endeavor Family of schools. The site was in an urban area with a minimal foot print. It was important that we utilize the square footage to the maximum extent to provide activities for children from crawlers to preschoolers. The spaces needed to be flexible and provide room for loose parts and activities the teachers brought out as well as outdoor eating and physical play. Their new playscape weaves natural materials, imaginative components, and sensory experiences to create a rich and dynamic play experience in a small footprint. A central physical play space features a turf hill, boulder mound, log steppers and an A frame climber. The hill is used extensively for running and rolling and by smaller babies for leaning against and exploring crawling. The A-frame climber is used for physical play and the underneath space accommodates imaginative play and quiet spaces. A set of weaving walls creates a buffer from adjacent uses. A living willow dome is tucked in near a water pump and play tables. The tables can be used with water and filled with sensory materials on dry days. There is storage and a sensory house with a larch and texture board for exploration. The combination of elements creates a full sensory, physical and imaginative experience for students.
PROJECT INFO
Project Completed: 2018
LLD Scope: Landscape Architectural Concept Design, Cost Estimating,
Construction Documents and Construction Assistance.
Project Team:
- Endeavor Schools
- Learning Landscapes Design
- Peterson Structural Engineers
- Grass Stains
