Finalists

In September we released a global call for entries to our Play Space Design Competition after identifying three sites—a school, a library, and a recreation center in Philadelphia. Forty interdisciplinary teams responded with innovative play space designs to fit the needs of the surrounding community. Five countries (United States, Canada, China, Germany, and Poland) and eleven US states (PA, CA, GA, IL, MA, MD, NJ, NY, OH, OR, and TX) were represented.

On February 8th, a panel of expert jurors came together to review each submission and, collectively, chose three finalists (listed below), for each competition location. The finalists will now move on in the competition, facing two additional votes—one from the community and another from the awards jury after hearing the finalists’ presentations at the Play Space Design Awards on March 16.

LEARNING LANDSCAPES: 
BLANCHE A. NIXON/COBBS CREEK BRANCH

Neighborhood Playbook | Philadelphia, PA
SALT Design Studio (lead)
CH2M HILL
City University of New York
Ian Smith Design Group
It's All Made Up
Kirk Fromm, design + illustration
PlayHarvest
SS | Design Details

Nixon Park | Atlanta, GA
TSW (lead)

Play Structure | Story Structure | Philadelphia, PA
Ground Reconsidered Landscape Architecture (lead)
Designed For Fun
Friends Select School
J R Keller LLC Creative Partnerships
Meliora Environmental Design LLC
The Parent-Infant Center
 

RECLAIMING RECREATION:
WATERLOO RECREATION CENTER 

Community Gifts | Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Shift Landscape Architecture (lead)
James Wick

Reclaiming Recreation | Philadelphia, PA
Ramla Benaissa Architects, LLC (lead)
Elwyn
Maser Consulting P.A.

Waterloo Rebosante | Philadelphia, PA
Roofmeadow (co-lead)
StudioLudo (co-lead)
Space for Childhood

 

REVIVING RECESS:
HAVERFORD BRIGHT FUTURES 

Bright Futures Chutes and Ladders | Philadelphia, PA
Atkin Olshin Schade Architects (co-lead)
Meliora Environmental Design LLC (co-lead)
Viridian Landscape Studio (co-lead)
International Consultants, Inc.
The Parent-Infant Center

Co-Play at Haverford Bright Futures | Chicago, IL
Terry Guen Design Associates (lead)
CITYPLAY
Philly Art Center
Roots First

Embrace Past Present and Future | Beijing, China
Studio of Instinct Fabrication (lead)
Red Sun Kindergarten