"playground"

A new gem has taken its place in the architectural playground that is Salford Quays in Manchester. Between the towers of MediaCityUK and Michael Wilford’s The Lowry, sits a small but perfectly formed gold parcel – a new home for The Alchemist, an innovative cocktail bar and restaurant.

A landscaping scheme including playground, planting, shelters and seating has help to attract more shoppers to a retail park.The improvements to the Orbital Shopping Park in Swindon were designed to encourage visitors to stay longer and offer more facilities for families, groups and couples.

Inhabitants of Abu Dhabi have a safe and sustainably-built oasis right at the heart of the city! This awe-inspiring playground was designed to offer an exciting experience for children and families. It also encourages endless physical activity, essential for development and growth.An Oasis of Fun for Children and FamiliesLocated south of the famous Corniche near Arabia’s iconic Gulf coastline, this remarkable project serves as a reminder that even in high-density cities there is still room to create recreational areas surrounded by natural beauty — where young minds grow through inspiring playtime adventures!The family park was part of the Ghadan 21 initiative for the Department of Municipalities and Transport and it was supplied by our local partner Gebal Group. Cubic is the perfect choice to stand out in the Abu Dhabi skyline and the result is a modern playground, which has been featured also in many YouTube videos.

Capstone Farm Country Park covers 114 hectares of former farmland set on the North Downs. There is a variety of habitats within the park, including ancient woodlands, old orchards, a freshwater lake, meadows and hedgerows.DCM worked on the project with HAGS, installing Rubber Mulch to the playground. Natural colours were chosen for the playground, blending in with the surrounding scenery and play equipment. Leaf graphics were created using both Rubber Mulch and Wetpour, bringing life and depth to the park.The Head of Regeneration at Medway Council commented:“Capstone Farm Country Park is one of Medway’s seven Green Flag parks. Thousands of people visit the park each year and we are delighted to have installed new play equipment and surfacing graphics for children to enjoy. I would like to thank our contractors for all their hard work.”

White Spire School is a special school for all ages in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. Mr Wilson, the Assistant Head Teacher called in with an enquiry for a large canopy. He was looking to create a large covered area in their playground that they could use as an outside gym all year round.

Redriff Primary School is a large school in Southwark, London that teaches children from the age of 3 to 11. In July 2013, they contacted us because they required a wall mounted timber canopy to be installed in their playground that would enable their children to play and learn outside all year round.

We were very pleased to complete the playground refurbishments for Plaistow and Ifold Parish Council, a beautiful village in Sussex. Given the rural setting, a natural theming to the equipment and surfacing was required, with no garish colours. The centrepiece of the new area was the Spell Hill multiplay climbing frame unit, with two tall slides, two towers and a connecting, inclined rope bridge. A new toddler slide unit was incorporated into the scheme, along with a basket swing, and small rotator.All modern playgrounds need a zip wire, something that often sees queues of children waiting to have a god in the first months after installation. Our ramp take off cableway added an exhilarating twist to the area for adventurous children of all ages.TigerMulch surfacing was used for the main area, whilst the zip wire was surfaced in rubberised grass mats.A big thanks to the village for commissioning us to carry out the works – happy playing!

The Edward Worlledge Ormiston Academy in Great Yarmouth pride themselves on putting their students at the centre of everything they do whilst inspiring and motivating them on a daily basis. In 2021 Streetspace were approached by the school to help update 3 existing areas of the school campus into more usable covered spaces for the children to use and enjoy year-round.An ORION hypar™ Waterproof Tensile Canopy was installed in the part of the school playground aptly named ‘Mushroom Corner’, with the addition of foam post protectors for an extra element of safety for the children whilst playing. The design of the canopy offers a good balance of shade and shelter while the distinctive hypar form of the canopy compliments the fun landscape the school had already created. The unique hypar shape is created when diagonally opposite corners of the sail are raised and the resulting twist in the fabric creates the hypar form. The PVC based waterproof fabric is also combined with a PVDF self-cleaning top layer that helps to prevent dirt getting ingrained in the fabric.Streetspace then worked on updating the playground by installing a Triton Maxx polycarbonate roof canopy, providing the children with an effective sheltered space to use during their break and lunch times. The polycarbonate roof covering provides a good level of light transmission, ensuring a light and airy feeling under the canopy even on gloomy days, while still offering excellent protection during inclement weather. Steel guttering and downpipes powder coated to match the canopy frame were also installed to manage rainwater during inclement weather.Lastly, an ORION Barrel Vault Tensile structure was installed in the nursery playground to provide the younger children with shade and rain protection whilst they played outside on their apparatus. The lightweight nature of fabric tensile membrane canopies requires fewer structural steel columns, resulting in lots of clear space for the children to enjoy. Alongside this benefit, the soft membrane roof creates an ambient environment while absorbing the sounds of voices, rain and echo, making this canopy a perfect solution for playgrounds. ORION Barrel Vault Tensile Structures utilise a single piece PVC fabric membrane meaning no joins to attract dirt while utilising the same PVDF surface coating helping to reduce maintenance. For this project all canopy frames and rainwater systems were finished with a highly durable polyester powder coating with matching RAL colour to co-ordinate with the existing school colour scheme.

PANACEA homes are renowned for their stunning and unique property developments across Scotland with their most recent development ‘The Primary’ in Kirkintilloch using AG’s Woodward Lewis Antique Brick.The exclusive 15 home re-development of St Agatha’s primary school is located on Gartshore Road, Kirkintilloch Scotland. The contemporary styled new builds have taken centre stage within the school’s large ‘Playground’ using over 50,000 AG Woodward Brick. The sizeable former school playground provides the cul-de-sac setting for the six new build 3 bedroom semi-detached to a 4-bedroom detached houses.Award winning PANACEA Homes carefully selected Woodward Lewis Antique Brick to create characterful homes with The Primary development incorporating original aesthetics. The aim was to create a beautiful development whilst ensuring respect is paid to the traditional styling of the former school. Created using sharp design and a mixture of tumbled AG Woodward Brick with sleek modern rendering, these homes will make a unique design statement in the Kirkintilloch area.

We were delighted to have succeeded in a competitive tender to carry out the playground refurbishment works at Decoy Park, Newton Abbot, Devon, in the summer of 2021. Decoy Park is a beloved recreational space in the town, with a large lake, woodland trails, and adjacent football pitches complimenting the play equipment at the park. Our design reflected the semi rural nature of the landscape, with a huge Treehouse structure sitting as the centrepiece of the area, standing almost 6m tall with a tube slide coming off the top level.A dynamic area aimed at older children featured two aerial runways, a beautiful glue laminated hardwood robinia climbing frame, and an overhead rotator. A spinning machine, a unique play piece that spins the seated user vertically 360 degrees, added a unique twist to the zone, something not seen in your everyday playground!The toddler zone is a heaven for the smallest children, with tastefully designed animal graphics, a variety of spinning, balancing and rocking activities, and a fun play ship featuring telescopes, play panels and steering wheels.A variety of different safety surfaces were laid at the area, to suit the various requirements of each zone. Wet pour rubber was used for the Toddler area, as its array of colours made designing and creating the animal graphics a possibility. TigerMulch was chosen for the adventure zone, with its natural looks and hard wearing properties ideal for the dynamic activities taking place here.Decoy Park was one of those special, unique projects that don’t come around very often, and we had so much fun designing and building the new playground. Thanks to Teignbridge District Council for commissioning us to do the works, we hope you enjoy it as much as we did making it!

Hand Made Places were approached by Appleby Magna Parish Council to provide them with a wide range of playground equipment. The equipment was for an already established recreational ground in Appleby Magna, Derbyshire. The parish council acquired funding to expand their playground. This was done in order to encourage more children to get involved in outdoor activities. The funding was supplied by Tesco’s ‘Bags of Help Initiative’. This uses the money from carrier bag sales to enhance their surrounding communities. Working to the strict budget supplied by this great scheme Hand Made Places needed to provide a wide variety of equipment, which would be suitable for all age groups. The equipment not only had to be enjoyed as a collection of single units, but it also had to work well together. The equipment also had to integrate well with the pre-existing metal equipment which was already present on the piece of land.Our wide range of equipment which was installed created a fun and interesting trim trail. This surrounded both the pre-existing equipment as well as our Hawks Nest. The installed trim trail included: Swing Steps, Trapeze Rings, Duck ‘n’ Weave, Wobble Bridge, Rope Walk, Zig Zag, Balance Beam and Stepping Stones. These pieces of equipment fit the clients brief in providing a fun place for children to enjoy physical play. It also provided a wide range of equipment which will help to encourage children to develop certain important skills, including both coordination and balance. All of these products were positioned in such a way as to allow the playground to flow whilst not overshadowing the pre-existing metal equipment.Our equipment is both fun and safe for use by a wide range of children all of whom fall into different age groups. To further enhance safety however, grass matting was installed to provide an impact absorbent surface.

The playground area of approximately 50m² stretched across some well-established tree roots, it was important that when resurfacing this area the roots were not damaged but also received sufficient water, SureSet resin bound gravel is a SuDs compliant paving material, that water drains through reducing puddling but would ensure water would drain down to the tree roots or any nearby runoff points.

Adding variety to the daily sports activities open to children at Rode Heath Primary School has been achieved with the installation of an outdoor gym.Pupils can now enjoy a gym session after completing their Daily Mile, while teachers will incorporate the equipment into PE lessons.The gym has been designed by Sunshine Gym for a shady grassed area close to the school’s sports pitches and Key Stage 2 playground.

A DeltaWing-90V louvred fence was specified for the Holy Trinity Primary School in Dalston, Hackney. The panels were manufactured with louvres on a vertical axis to create a semi-transparent screen. This increased the sense of space within the playground area while providing an appropriate level of security and privacy for young pupils.The fencing was supplied in various heights to suit the openings within a brick wall and the varied palette included timber infill panels to the gates.

During the autumn of 2023, we installed this beautiful, natural themed new play area at St Martin’s, Jersey. This project saw a collaborative design approach with a local playground expert on the island, who helped select the equipment, surfacing, and shape the landscaping elements of the works.The centrepiece item was a modified version of the ever popular Lappset Spell Hill, where a set of monkey bars, fireman’s pole, and a different specification slide were added to the original design, to increase the play value and age ranges of who can use the equipment.Two new sets of swings, a seesaw, two spring riders, and musical play panels ensured a well balanced playground that appeals to all ages and abilities. Making the park inclusive for all, no matter their physical abilities, was an important consideration when designing the area, and the large, upright basket swing and sensory attributes of the musical chimes, together with the tasteful landscaping created a welcoming environment for all.The surfacing chosen was mix of green and beige wet pour rubber, ensuring the natural theme carried through to all elements of the design.We loved working on this project, and it was great to shape the design with the input of local people on the island. Get in touch today for any similar requirements!

We were delighted to be awarded the tender to complete playground upgrades for Cowbridge and Llanblethian Town Council, in Wales. We installed a new multipaly with a slide, fireman’s pole and a variety of climbing, two new springers, and a basket swing and standard swing. Associated surfacing works, including ground works and new wet pour rubber, were completed at the same time. The council were delighted with the works, giving the park a much needed face lift.

Mungret Gate is ideally located just 5km from Limerick City Centre with plenty of activities nearby including a playground, stunning scenery and 2km of walk and cycle paths.The development by Homeland Group consists of 3 and 4-bedroom family homes that are modern and stylish but also sustainable, with an abundance of green communal space for children to play in andfamilies to enjoy. Homeland Group felt that energystore’s TLA would be the perfect fit for their new Mungret Gate development.

We were commissioned by Llangors Community Council to design a new playground for their village, and installed this in two phases over 2022 and 2023. The centrepiece of the area comprised of a fantastic multiplay activity tower from Kaiser Kuhne. This glue laminate hardwood structure comes with a 30 year structural guarantee, and provides an exciting range of activities. New swings, a toddler multiplay, adventure trail, overhead rotator, two springers, and new play panels were also installed to give excellent options for all ages and abilities.

We constructed new LAP and LEAP playgrounds for a large housing developer in Farnham, Hampshire, in the summer of 2022. The estate occupied a pleasant setting on the outskirts of the town, and as such timber equipment was requested to help blend in with the surroundings. The 137100 multiplay anchored the area, providing a great combination of climbing, slides, and challenging play features. A Waltz rotator, zig zag tack, seesaw, and two bay swing complete with a basket swing, 1 x flat seat and 1 x cradle seat completed the area, which is sure to serve as a well loved neighbourhood play area for years to come.

We were delighted to complete a playground regeneration project for at this stunning location in rural Hampshire. The site was situated on an idyllic location, with a cricket pitch on one side and sweeping downland countryside also adjacent. The council was looking for a natural aesthetic to match the surroundings, and Lappset glue laminated timber was an excellent fit. We installed a new 137124m multiplay, 2 flat seat swings, 2 cradle seat swings and a basket swing, and the surfacing was completed with black wet pour rubber. We very much enjoyed working on this project and thanks to the council for commissioning us to carry out the works.

Back in 2016, the St Mary Magdalene C of E School were in need of a major perimeter demarcation for their 2 hectares of land, MUGA pitches, access control and bespoke playground fencing to prevent unauthorised access onto their premises. The Exempla Fencing System and the Dulok-Lite Twin Wire System were selected for perimeter demaraction whilst Rotop Fencing and Dulok Sport were chosen the the specific MUGA pitches in question. All of which were supplied with matching LockMaster Swing Gates to control ingress and egress onto the property in order to keep students, staff and visitors safe.

Sliding, climbing & water play in one facility is not possible? Sure, it works! And how! In the Universe we show you how. Four K&K pumps distributed over more than 50 m of water feature around the Universe Lake provide fun in summer, where hardly anyone – in the truest sense of the word – stays dry. More water play is not possible! Right in the middle of this ingenious playground is our facility, where up to one hundred children can play at the same time. Embedded in a huge area of special fall protection gravel, this is the dream for all water play fans.

A stunning installation created by Parisian design studio 5.5, was unveiled on Tarkett’s stand at this year’s Euroshop. Celebrating creative expression, the design with its poetic cloud of intricate vinyl shapes, was inspired by Tarkett’s daring new Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) collection, iD Mixonomi. Part of Tarkett’s successful ‘Floor is the new Playground’ concept, the daring new collection offers architects and designers unparalleled opportunities to push the boundaries with LVT. Not only can they have fun creating expressive designs across the floor, designers can also easily achieve unique, personalised flooring – perfect for unique customer experiences.

We were delighted to be commissioned to provide a complete playground regeneration project, for a prestigious school in Sussex. The current play facilities were starting to feel dates, and the school wanted some fresh, colourful and natural themed equipment and surfacing to reenergise the areas.3 different areas on the site catered to various age groups, and the level of challenge on the equipment reflected this. A mixture of climbing, trim trails, multiplays, a zip wire, and some tall slides will make playtimes fun for many years to come. Equally, the safety surfacing was designed to be colourful and informative, with inlaid graphics featuring windmills and electric charging points on the track helping reinforce the importance of a low carbon future.

The town of Filderstadt wanted to develop, upgrade and further develop the campus of two neighbouring schools in the district of Bernhausen. For the project, it hired Stuttgart-based, international architectural firm, Behnisch Architekten. The stunning piece of architecture features our special coloured synthetic surfaces – which we are immensely proud of!The guiding principle of the architectural design by Behnisch Architekten: a lively school campus in a pleasant environment for students. The result is a building with levels of different shapes and sizes, which appears playful yet balanced, and stands out perfectly from its relatively heterogenous surroundings with its free-flowing, organic design. The harmonious, vertically staggered horizontal lines and terraces around the circumference of the building make a striking impression.A facade consisting of a wood and aluminium construction with opaque wood elements reflects the idea of an open learning landscape. The central foyer, containing functional spaces and a cafeteria for common use, leads to all other areas on the levels above. On the upper levels, the building branches out architecturally and functionally. The daylight-flooded atrium, which spans all four levels, forms the vertical core of the building. From there, students can easily navigate the school and find their classrooms almost intuitively.Each level also has a small vestibule with niches and seating areas for sitting or relaxing. The third floor features a large terrace, which is easily the highlight for the Bernhausen students: it can be used to hold lessons outdoors – at least in the summer months.As well as thoughtfully planning the spatial structure, Behnisch Architekten specially designed the school to be experienced through the senses. To give the individual learning areas a distinctive character of their own, individual colour schemes were used on the walls, in which the colours not only indicate the respective year group, but create a lively, stimulating environment in intense orange, yellow, green and earth tones.Our durable all-rounder, PolyPlay SE, which is designed for ball sports and leisure activities on playing fields and school sports facilities, was used for the coating of the terraces around the circumference. The single-layered surface offers many advantages in Bernhausen: for example, it has a smooth surface, dries quickly thanks to its permeability, and is nevertheless slip-resistant at all times. Another advantage is its high wear-resistance and low maintenance – along with its colour scheme, which chimes perfectly with the design concept by Behnisch Architekten. It is installed in the colours light grey and pearl white, as well as three fresh shades of yellow.Our PolyPlay FS fall protection surface is used on the school’s playground. The shock-absorbing surface offers a clean and safe solution for various uses – usually playgrounds and parks. The bulk-coated, water-permeable covering is particularly easy to care for and, thanks to its cushioning effect, protects against injuries in the event of falls. In Bernhausen, the surface is installed in three colours and different thicknesses between 42 and 122 mm – coordinated with the respective fall height of the playground equipment.

Part of a masterplan by Brent London Borough Council to redevelop the heart of Stonebridge, and provide much needed new homes for residents, the project provides a total of 73 modern, purpose built affordable residential units across two adjacent sites, linked by a new public open space with playground and outdoor gym.Constructed on a former car park, the development comprises two distinct sections. The larger, Hillside site, is constructed across two blocks, up to 7 storeys in height and linked at first floor level by a landscaped podium and under-croft car park. It comprises a mix of 51 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, each with dual aspect and private balcony. Complementing this, the smaller Milton Avenue site, constructed over three storeys, features a total of 22 4-bedroom townhouses.

We were delighted to be commissioned by Brogborough Parish Council in Bedfordshire to design, supply, install and safety surface an upgrade to their existing play area, in the summer of 2021. Equipment needed to suit a wide range of ages and as such, a large selection of equipment was included in the scheme. For older children, the Spell Hill multiplay, with its two large slides, rope bridges, towers and climbing activities, was the perfect structure. A bouldering cube provided extra climbing play, whilst perennial favourites in the form of swings and an inclined roundabout complimented the area.For the younger users, a small slide and 4 separate springers including a dog, bike, butterfly and tractor made for a fun, themed area. Given the semi natural location of the playground, surrounded by mature trees and tall grasses, a TigerMulch surface was chosen to compliment the landscape, with its bike like appearance working nicely with the surroundings.

A Newcastle canopy provides an outdoor learning area and a covered play space at Hyde Park School in Plymouth.The double-sided gullwing version of the popular Newcastle canopy was the perfect choice for this project, providing a covered space extending from existing school buildings out into the playground.Outdoor learning space is playing an increasingly important role at the school which is creating an environment to meet the developmental needs of all students.The Newcastle Gullwing canopy was customised by Broxap to fit the space available, following the profile of the existing building, and to meet the needs of Hyde Park School which is now part of the Learning Academies Trust.As well as being manufactured to unique dimensions, we also offered the school a range of customisation options which are available with our canopy and shelter products.It specified a powder coated finish to the galvanised steel framework, choosing blue to match the school colours.

A £2.5 million investment at Toronto Primary School in Howden has provided a new purpose-built sports hall, as well as a fully DDA compliant main entrance and safe drop-off area. The ethos of the expansion and development of the school’s facilities was to maintain the unique physical character and immediacy of the school’s grounds and green avenues.The external landscaping has made extensive use of Novara-34 anti-climb fencing. Different heights of fences and gates, 1.8m and 1.2m, secure the main perimeter and subdivide the playground areas. The fence panels were installed with wooden posts replicating the theme of the surrounding tree-lined avenue.Novara-34 was also used to create security screens with gated access for both the Janitor’s entrance and a storage area.The fencing was supplied hot-dip galvanized and polyester powder coated RAL3007 Black/Red.

Aberfoyle Primary School – Stirling, ScotlandProduct: Denver Timber Cycle ShelterSize: 6.2m x 1.6mTimber Frame Stain Colour: Light OakContractor: AKP Scotland Ltd.Architect: Wardell ArmstrongInstallation Date: May 2021The BriefAKP Scotland Ltd. are an award-winning principal contractor based in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. They were working on a project at Aberfoyle Primary School in Stirling which required a complete refurbishment of their stunning gothic style, 151-year-old listed building.Part of the project included the requirement for a cycle shelter within the school’s nursery playground. The Architects, Wardell Armstrong specified our Denver Timber Cycle Shelter in the setting out drawings, which were then sent to us to us an invitation to tender by AKP Scotland Ltd.The Solution Because the product had already been specified, this was a simple case of sending over our costs for the size required which was 6.2m x 1.6m.The Denver is constructed from stunning curved Glulam timber beams which are manufactured by gluing together laminates of timber under pressure and heat that are then perfectly planed. The resulting beams are strong, stable, and corrosion proof with significant advantages over structural steel and concrete.This makes the Denver Timber Cycle Shelter a great choice for this project; because the school building was a very old, listed building, the aesthetics of a curved timber structure would fit in perfectly, keeping a traditional, natural appearance.The Installation An order was placed in December 2020 with the installation planned for May 2021 as set out in the contractors’ building programme. The contractor installed a concrete base and the installation of the shelter went ahead as scheduled on 24-26th May 2021, taking just two days to install.The contractor supplied and installed the cycle hoops themselves once we had left site.The end result is a striking curved timber cycle shelter that fits in flawlessly with the recently refurbished Early Year’s playground area, finishing the project off perfectly.

Green Hart Park from Croudace is a countryside housing development located in picturesque Hampshire. The development features an array of beautifully designed and spacious homes, ranging from one to five bedrooms, each with its unique style and character. The properties are nestled amidst the lush greenery and serene surroundings of the park, providing residents with a peaceful and tranquil living experience.The development also features a range of amenities, including a community centre, playgrounds, and landscaped gardens, creating a warm and inviting neighbourhood for residents. With excellent transport links to nearby towns and cities, including Winchester, Southampton and Portsmouth, Green Hart Park is a perfect choice for those looking for a rural lifestyle, without compromising on convenience. Green Hart Park offers an exceptional blend of modern living and natural beauty.Freshfield Lane’s consistently popular First Quality Multi clay bricks are seen throughout the project, lending an aged, authentic feel to a site brimming with modern design philosophies.

Twinfix has over thirty years’ experience designing, manufacturing, and installing school canopies, playground shelters and covered walkways for education establishments, including nursery schools, primary schools, secondary schools, colleges and universities. Each structure is designed to fit and enhance its surroundings while providing the school with the type of canopy, playground shelter or walkway they need. Twinfix provide a full in-house service, from design right through to installation.Outdoor areas that are currently not usable during hot or wet weather conditions can be made into fully productive parts of the school or nursery. Canopies installed adjacent to a nursery classroom create an easily accessible area for sand and water play, while a walkway can give protected transit for staff and pupils between buildings at any school site.Golborne High School is a coeducational foundation secondary school located in Golborne, Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, England.The oldest part of the school was opened in January 1954 and today it is a trust school under the umbrella of the newly formed Golborne and Lowton Co-operative Learning partnership.Last year, Twinfix were approached by Parklands Services to design, manufacture and install three fabricated, lean-to mono-pitch canopies at the school. The canopies all served a different purpose: one provided cover for an outdoor eating area, provide shelter to pupils outside their classroom as they learn and play and to provide cover to parents and students waiting to enter and leave.The structures spanning a total of 162 square metres comprise of Twinfix’s innovative Multi-Link-Panel Non-Fragile (NF) roofing system, glazed with 25mm multiwall polycarbonate. The roofs are non-fragile in accordance with the HSE’s test for fragility ACR[M]001:2019, an important factor when installing canopies where children may try and access the roof. Each canopy has an aluminium frame, powder-coated to RAL 7016 anthracite grey.Being a one-stop shop for designing, manufacturing and installing such outdoor structures Twinfix are proud to offer a seamless service to any school or other education establishment looking for a canopy or walkway. The staff and pupils at Golborne High School are delighted with the latest additions to their school.

We completed this large redevelopment of this school’s playground in Ealing, West London, over the summer holidays. The teachers were looking for two separate zones for older and younger children, with the junior zone to feature challenging, stimulating equipment .The Lappset Motoric Track acted as a perfect centrepiece for the area, being able to entertain large numbers of users for busy break and lunch times. The 6 tower structure features interlinked climbing nets, rope bridges, fireman’s pole, a large slide, climbing panels, and much more, giving hours of endless fun. A space net climbing frame is positioned adjacent to the track, providing additional climbing and challenge for older aged children.The younger age zone is comprised of an exciting multiplay structure, natural themed trim trail, and two crawl tunnels under earth mounds.The equipment was constructed from glue laminate timber and green panelling, to blend in with the treelined surroundings of the play area. For the surfacing elements of the works, artificial grass was selected, to compliment the natural aesthetic. 

DCM Surfaces were thrilled to be part of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ inspired playground at St Thomas’s School in Clapham.Blue Forest were the successful bidders in the contract for the play area, which included rope bridges, winding log walks, monkey bars, clamber nets, sunken tyre stepping stones, and a draw-bridge. As a long-standing customer, Blue Forest approached DCM to provide a natural looking surface which would complement the timber-style play equipment.Following the successful completion of the project, DCM has since worked with Blue Forest to install the play surface at Thomas’s Clapham sister school, Thomas’s Battersea, before the enrolment of Prince George in September.The Project Manager at Blue Forest commented:“From the office staff to the on-site installers, DCM worked hard to accommodate our requirements. They were punctual and remained until the job was done. Their quality of work is second to none and I would have no trouble recommending them.”

During the construction of Unity Academy, a state-of-the-art Alternative Provision (AP) primary school in Kidderminster, Portakabin approached Twinfix to design, manufacture, and install a playground shelter .Twinfix’s expert team designed a canopy that contributes to the school’s welcoming and supportive environment, providing shelter for students, staff, and visitors while promoting sustainability and enhancing the building’s aesthetics. Given the school’s focus on catering to students with special educational needs, safety considerations were of utmost importance.The canopy, covering a total area of 12 square metres, features an aluminium frame powder-coated in RAL 7016, anthracite grey, enhancing the modern aesthetic of the new school. The design includes anti-climb gutters and incorporates the Multi-Link-Panel Non-Fragile roofing system, glazed with 16mm polycarbonate. This system is classified as non-fragile in compliance with the HSE’s drop test ACR[M]001:2019.When the school opened its doors last year, there was an apparent need to utilise the outdoor space and introduce covered areas for learning and play. The school asked Twinfix to provide additional canopies, facilitating outdoor learning and offering a range of benefits to their students.

PolyPlay Arena & PolyPlay S in Palmano Park, Wasserburg am InnRAISING THE ROOF – HIGH-OCTANE ACTION ATOP AN UNDERGROUND CAR PARKSituated on an archipelago almost completely surrounded by the River Inn, Wasserburg am Inn’s old town has remained nearly entirely unchanged since medieval times. At the heart of the old town lies the Palmano Park, a popular meeting spot for citizens young and old. The small park – Wasserburg’s first designated greenspace – was built last century, and today its majestic trees and countless benches offer plenty of shady spots to while away the afternoon.Visitors and locals alike are also drawn in by the park’s playground, its bocce court, its table tennis tables and the numerous sports equipment stations specially designed for senior citizens. But the latest addition is a multifunctional sports court that can be used for dynamic basketball and football matches – high-octane action guaranteed. As it wasn’t possible to simply extend the playground surface at will, a PolyPlay Arena was installed on the roof of an existing underground car park to provide more space for the sports court.The PolyPlay Arena is fitted with our durable PolyPlay S all-round surface, a favourite at playing fields and facilities for school sports, ball sports and leisure activities. Its smooth – yet non-slip – surface and good ball-playing properties make it an ideal surface for ball sports of all kinds, as well as variety of outdoor activities. The PolyPlay S is water-permeable, so the court dries quickly and can be used year-round in all weathers. Another benefit of the low-maintenance surface is its high wear resistance.Wasserburg’s local council chose a patina green variant of the PolyPlay S. Adorned with a variety of markings in yellow, blue and orange, it can be used as a basketball court, for street soccer or for handball games. Its special features include modern anti-vandalism nets made of sheathed metal fibres that offer both low noise and high wear resistance – a completely new concept for mini-pitches. And since it’s also equipped with our “PolyPlay Arena Silence Package”, the multisport court boasts extra-high-density LigaGrass synthetic turf on the insides of the barriers to further boost the facility’s overall soundproofing.The multisport court will make Palmano Park even more attractive – something local MP, Klaus Stöttner, believes can only be a positive for Wasserburg’s old town as a whole. “This is a good thing for many reasons, not least among them the fact that Josef Palmano, the apothecary after whom the park is named, was himself a great proponent of sports in Wasserburg during his time in our town, from 1849 to 1910,” Stöttner explained.