Sabin School in North Portland hired Learning Landscapes Design to create a master plan and construction documents for upgrades to their north playground. The existing playground houses a mix of outdated playground equipment, the schools popular learning garden, asphalt pavement, old portables and a few large trees. The community wanted a more natural and relaxing place to play. The school had a vision to create one fluid space for natural play. Learning Landscapes ran a workshop with teachers, students, and parents. The goals was to develop a project that met teaching needs, play needs, and after school community needs.

The resulting design included a garden shelter for outdoor group learning, living willow structures, berms and amphitheater, log climbing structure and hill features. The loose parts focused on the use of simple machines in a ball run construction area. Here students could build ball runs and race, or try to reach a specific goal. In the garden shelter features focused on the use of natural loose parts in measuring and math. Students could compare, weigh, and measure collections of seeds, rocks and sticks. As a result this elementary school nature playground is now a space where teachers, students, and families can play and gather for years to come.

PROJECT INFO

Construction Cost – $125,000 Phase One
Date of Completion – Spring 2016
Services Provided – Landscape Architectural Concept Design, Cost Estimating, Phasing, Permit Research, Construction Documents, Construction Assistance