Play world for young and old
A unique water playground was created in 2021 on the extensive grounds of the private property Ikuna - the name was adopted in reference to the former leisure park with an Indian playground - in close collaboration between the architect, the owner and Richter Spielgeräte. The aim was to integrate the water play equipment into the existing environment and to design the play world in such a way that as many children as possible could interact at the same time.
The playground is divided into different areas - watercourse, gravel works, sand and mud area, mill village and water forest - which are connected by an accessible circular path. The watercourse symbolizes nature as a whole, while the gravel works symbolize human intervention. This metaphor goes back to the client's desire to create a nature resort that is as free of electronics as possible and invites children and young people to play freely with the elements. The main connection between the watercourse and the gravel pit is an integrative sand play platform specially designed for wheelchair users. In the sand and mud area with its terraced A-squares, the Archimedean screw is the main attraction alongside the large nautilus snail, the scoop fountain and the large excavator. At 5.5 meters long, it is the longest screw Richter has ever constructed. In the mill village, the little ones get their money's worth and can immerse themselves in role play to their heart's content on the mill and paddle wheels as well as the various dam and weir elements. The water forest with its slender high palisades was also specially designed for this project. Thanks to a built-in automatic system, no pumping power is required to spray the water; instead, the water falls from above at predetermined intervals, as if from a fountain. In addition to inclusion, suitability for all age groups and the integration of existing trees and natural stones, an important aspect of the planning was also the possibility of providing parents or other accompanying persons with nice places to sit from where they can watch the children at play in peace and quiet.
