CACC - Florida

This 3000 square foot site was a delicate little piece of land in a beautifully laid out office park set on an old southern plantation in Florida with giant oaks, palm trees, hanging moss, and lots of heat. The new child care center was being carefully laid out at the ground level in one of the buildings, and the office park manager was concerned that a typical, equipment-based playground would not suit the natural setting or the other, very high-end tenants. The plan developed by the Natural Playgrounds Company was designed to compliment the site, and to be visually attractive to any tenants looking down on the playground from the floors above. The enclosing fence is black, which helps diminish its visual impact, and because it follows the shape of the curving sidewalk and lawn cut, it feels less restrictive to the children playing inside.

A beautiful little “mountain” provides the opportunity for a tunnel, climbing wall, post climb, slide, sand play area, and bridge; an big old, curved tree branch planted upright became a perfect spot for a rope for climbing and swaying; a dead tree was cut tall so it could be carved into a child-friendly sculpture; an old-fashioned porch swing was nestled in a short arbor; small fountains spout water in a special water play area; the top of the dead tree was laid down and used for climbing; a willow tunnel provides the “grand entrance;” and gardens and a grassy area were placed near the edge of the tree canopy on the sunny side. Hard-to-find (in Florida) natural boulders were introduced so children would be able to see and feel their texture and temperature.

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