Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0754613208 ISBN 13: 9780754613206

Publisher: Ashgate Pub Ltd, 2001

Architects, landscape designers, builders, gardeners and teachers have all at some time been called upon to design a play area. Unfortunately, this diversity has not resulted in a similar diversity of design solutions for this very problematic task. Despite a proliferation of "how to" books on this subject, playgrounds have remained virtually the same throughout the world since their creation over a century ago.
This is not a "how to" design book. Instead, based on thirty years experience as a specialist play area designer, Barbara Hendricks details a radically new approach, applying cutting-edge thinking from child development and child psychology to find innovative design solutions, challenging the established notions of play provision. Covering key sociological, public policy, environmental and design issues, this book provides designers with an exploration of, and guide to, designing from a "child's eye" view of the world.
Beautifully crafted and copiously illustrated with numerous examples of recently designed playgrounds, this book is not only stimulating and informative, but fun to read and seriously playful in itself.

About the Author:

Barbara E. Hendricks, Play Environment Designer, currently owns and operates her own design firm and serves as a consultant to several international companies which manufacture play items.

Review:

'This is a fascinating and enlightening book for those who have any input into the provision or design of children's play areas, whatever their discipline.' Garden Design Journal