Playing in the City

From sandpits to adventure playgrounds, urban play spaces have – throughout their evolution – taken many different forms. They have been shaped by architects, designers, activists and children who, influenced by social, political and ideological beliefs, have continually advocated for freely accessible play spaces, often with the understanding that playgrounds are also rich sites for experimentation. Based on Gabriela Burkhalter’s research project The Playground Project, the presentation Playing in the City offers insights into the evolution of playgrounds in Germany and highlights the diversity of adventure playgrounds from Tokyo to Paris. 

What beliefs and goals were behind the first sandpits around 1900? How did the socialist system in East Germany attempt to improve the quality of life for parents and children? When did the first adventure playgrounds emerge, and what opportunities did they offer to kids traumatised by World War II? Playing in the City provides excerpts from the history of playgrounds over the past century and gives an overview of new playground models and initiatives that place free play at their core. In the words of activist Gunilla Lundahl: “We wanted to prove that if children are given the space, they can do the most astonishing things.”