The Ground
Sutton Park School in South Auckland wanted a playground their Tamariki could connect with. Reflecting the strong Pasifika community, a themed playground that connected the school grounds to its very own mini Mangere mountain was the starting point for this play space.

Having identified a central area within the school, which included an existing tree that would need to be worked around, plans for the development of the playscape that would benefit five-to-eight-year-olds began.

The Creation
Sutton Park School gave our team an excellent brief to work with. They wanted our team to design a new playground that would have a natural theme throughout, with a punch of colour. They also envisaged the space being one where children could run freely, exploring different equipment at every turn.

Two fale play towers, connected by a natural plated jungle rope, took centre stage. Equipment off the towers consisted of a bright twisted tube slide, mountain climber, bridges, ladders, stepping logs, climbing walls, and overhead activities all of which provide children with opportunities to learn and grow.

Turf underfoot has ensured easy access into the area, with inground trampolines and a seesaw included as activities for less able children.

The Play
Creating opportunity for social interaction in a play space is a key contributor to ensuring the magic of play is enjoyed by all. This was fostered in our team’s design which included a rope quad cell and hopscotch. 

The school’s desired theme was represented with a mini maunga, created through the strategic positioning of natural rocks, wavey bars and hoops. Slide and scale ropes that allow tamariki to navigate up and down the mountain are the perfect addition for new entrance students to gain confidence before navigating their way to the fale.

The final design unites the magic of play with meaningful themes for the community.