Which playground companies are best?

In this section, we’ll look at the various types of playground companies in New Zealand and outline what they have to offer. As you have probably discovered already, there are many different types of playground company out there which can be broken down into the following categories:

• Playground Designers • Play Equipment Suppliers • Play Surfacing Installers • Playground Builders

Playground Designers

In New Zealand, most playground designs are done by landscape architects, who are skilled designers of outdoor spaces. A small number of landscape architects in New Zealand specialise in playgrounds, but most would be considered generalists who can design for many different types of outdoor space.

Landscape architects generally only supply designs. Once they have completed that, you would work with a construction or landscaping company to build your playground.

Playground Equipment Suppliers

There is a range of playground equipment suppliers in New Zealand and most of them import their equipment from overseas. Playground equipment companies will generally provide installation and will sometimes offer basic playground design and project management services.

Playground Surfacing Suppliers

Playground surfacing services in New Zealand are generally provided by specialist surfacing companies. Traditionally, bark and woodchip surfacing were the favoured play surfaces in New Zealand playgrounds, but recently, more modern rubber and PVC tile surfaces, with their high safety ratings and improved durability, have come to the fore.

Full-Service Playground Builders

Full-service playground builders are a new breed of playground company in New Zealand. They focus on offering an integrated suite of playground building services from concept design through to equipment procurement, project management, installation, and construction.

Some companies (like Creo) go further and include bespoke equipment manufacturing and specialist play surfacing installation.

Now that you have an idea of the types of playground companies in New Zealand, let’s look at why Creo chose to become an Full-Service Playground Builder rather than simply a design or equipment company.

5 reasons why Creo decided to become a Full-Service Playground Builder

Traditionally, the playground industry in New Zealand has been rather fragmented. In 2016, however, Creo came on the scene with a more holistic approach to building playgrounds. Below are the 5 main reasons why we did this.

1. Most landscape architects don’t specialise in play

When it comes to the various types of outdoor space design, most landscape architects are generalists.

They will take on playground projects, but that’s generally not their focus.

From working in the industry for many years, we saw what happens when inexperienced landscape architects design playgrounds. They were often great to look at but didn’t work from a play perspective. We felt the industry needed a company whose sole focus was playgrounds, from design through to construction.

2. We want to build playgrounds that inspire

We love building playgrounds that inspire people. And to do that, we’ve realised you really need to be highly engaged at every level of the playground building process. That’s why we have such a diverse team of passionate individuals.

From landscape architects, 3D designers, and project managers through to carpenters, builders, and site managers, we have built an integrated team that works together to deliver fantastic results. 3. We want to make building playgrounds super easy

Until now, most playground building projects in

New Zealand have been completed through the collaboration of individual companies.

In the past, the typical project journey looked something like this: Firstly, you selected some play equipment from a local supplier, then you contacted a landscape architect to get a design done that incorporated your equipment, then you found a landscaper to create the space and install the equipment, lastly, you called in a surfacing company to install the safety surface.

This process delivered a result, but it was complicated and time consuming. With Creo, the process is far simpler. You provide the ideas and Creo takes care of the rest.

4. We want to provide assurance and peace of mind

As described above, the alternative to working with a single Full-Service Playground Builder is to work with multiple companies. Often, that means working with landscapers, installers, and labourers who aren’t playground specialists.

Building a playground this way can obviously work, but it is more prone to mistakes which could make your playground unsafe. Working with one team that specialises in playground installation hugely reduces the chances of mistakes occurring. It’s another reason why Creo has opted for the Full-service approach, and you can have peace of mind that your Creo playground will be 100% compliant with the New Zealand playground standard (NZS5828:2015).

5. We believe in the Creo way

We started Creo in 2016 to address all the above issues we saw in the playground building industry. Since then, we’ve seen first-hand the efficiencies and high-level results that can be achieved with our fresh approach.

Everyday, our designers, project managers, installers, and craftsmen work closely together to ensure each project is handled with the utmost care and attention to detail. Communication is fast and our projects run smoothly, which is something our customers really appreciate.

Here are a few testimonials from recent Creo customers:

Watch the full video: creospace.co.nz/kristin

Watch the full video: creospace.co.nz/pomaria

Watch the full video: creospace.co.nz/ilam

Watch the full video: creospace.co.nz/pinehurst-school

Watch the full video: creospace.co.nz/balcluthaprimary-school