BUILDING BLOBS OF PLAY
22 May 2018
Beatrix Park in Amsterdam has been transformed into an engaging playspace with an abstract play and climbing structure created by Carve that serves a dual purpose of play equipment and public art.
Design and engineering firm Carve have breathed new life into one of Amsterdam’s oldest parks with a playful new blob-like playground design. The eye-catching structure is a gigantic white and lilac abstract shape that just begs for children to climb aboard its weirdness and explore its many fun features. 
The firm was charged with creating a new playground area in Beatrix Park’s existing basketball court, which is surrounded by an abundance of greenery. In addition to creating a fun play area for local children aged 0-6, the new structure also needed to be a vibrant meeting place for park goers. So the designers created a distinct “organically shaped sculpture that incorporates various play functions.’’ 
The unique structure is a large voluminous form whose curious shape invites children to explore the interior where they’ll find plenty of places to run, climb, slide, and swing. The large blob, which is painted a bright lilac on the inside, was designed with plenty of dynamic areas such as a web of climbing nets, a metal slide, and a tube swing hanging from one end. 
On the exterior, the structure has a mirrored wall on one side, which reflects a distorted view of the surrounding greenery. On the other side, kids will find a soccer goal painted on the wall, just waiting for a strong penalty shot. A sunken trampoline adjacent to the structure further encourages a fun, energetic environment around the park’s new landmark.
