Color Play Ground

red dot
red dot award: design concept 2007

design:

Ko Pyung-Joo, Hong Chul-Eu and Baek Hanli

Feeling blue? Color Play Ground is a piece of interactive play equipment for children designed to support self expression while avoiding the safety risks of many existing play sets.

A serious problem associated with many existing children’s play facilities is the risk of falls from high parts of the equipment. Akin to a series of gentle hills, Color Play Ground reduces this risk. But it also has much broader aims. People usually say that colour is a reflection of the mental state. When a colour is chosen by a child, it may very well reflect the child’s unconsciousness. The Color Play Ground is based on the premise that the way children use their favourite colour and indeed which colour children choose can tell us something about their mental state.

When touched, the outer wall of the Color Play Ground changes colour providing a source of fun and interest. The thermochromic material reacts reversibly to heat, so children can temporarily record their hand or foot print, draw a picture, or trace their movement.

Four colours were chosen to help with creative play and self expression, each representative of different moods or feelings. The Color Play Ground aims to serve as a creative outlet for children, allowing them to express their emotions freely and avoid the problems associated with pent-up feelings. And importantly, it aims to be a source of much fun.