TIMBER
THE VALUE OF TIMBER IN CREATING FUN AND FLEXIBLE COMMUNITY PLAY FACILITIES The stick – one of the most successful play features for decades, not thought about but always played with and the beginning of most children’s journey with timber. Across the globe, kids play with sticks and twigs regularly using them to throw, draw, snap and much more. being young F rom children through their development stages, timber is a material they are always in connection with. The big question for many is how can we maintain this connection with the natural material in community play facilities? We all have fond memories of climbing trees as a child, scaling the heights of the branches to get as high as possible, feeling the wind high up and the different textures of the timber as we ascended above. The same feelings can be replicated in more formal play settings, such as playgrounds, when using timber as the main material. Children are fascinated by the qualities that timber holds as they understand its
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link to nature and even, to some sense, the construction process of how the equipment has gone from being a tree to their favourite play pieces. When we think of play, we often get carried away thinking of large playgrounds that were located near where we lived as children. We often forget that, actually, play can be simple and not necessarily in a prescribed setting. Using timber in play spaces can also be more informal, in a sense of providing playful pathways and routes around community areas for children to create their own play experiences. This can be achieved in various ways such as using subtle elements like logs to promote children using their imagination, allowing them
to become the main character in their own story as they create a playful journey. It is hard to replicate these experiences using materials such as steel or plastic as they are unnatural in their environment and, therefore, become a prescriptive formal play experience in comparison to the unidentifiable placed elements of timber. Julian Richter Senior, the Founder of renowned German play manufacturer Richter Spielgeräte, commented on the importance of children having informal play opportunities. He said: “The aspect of selfdetermination is incredibly important for a child’s development. After all, a child’s life is play. In all situations, they need to feel they are masters
of their own little universe. This is the most precious gift we can give them.” What is important when creating play facilities is recognising that the design must become more than just a place for children to play. To create flexible community play facilities, we must also provide opportunities for parents and carers as the dwell time of an adult supervising a child directly impacts how much time a child gets to play. The use of timber seating areas, quiet areas and informal seating, such as fallen logs and stepping logs, can help create an atmosphere for adults to enjoy whilst children play within a community space where they want to spend their downtime. Across the world, timber is used as a material in construction. In particular, it is used for heavy-duty frames such as for buildings and bridges. It offers incredible durability which is why it is perfect for the construction of play equipment, it can withstand large amounts of users at one time making it ideal out in the community. Alongside durability, timber play equipment also offers incredible longevity and, with the correct maintenance,
