Case Studies

The competition for the new play area was launched as part of the recent restoration of the building and grounds, and Timberplay entered their design concept alongside Glasgow Landscape Architects erz Studio. Mark Grimshaw, Business Development Manager at Timberplay Scotland, details the brief: -

“The managers and stakeholders wanted to increase the appeal of the site to children and families, and identified play as a key way by which to increase dwell time. One of the biggest challenges to overcome was the height restriction of the scheme, which was limited to just 90cm. Timberplay love to work within tight parameters however, so were pleased to apply our creativity to this brief and we very pleased with the concept we came up with alongside Felicity and the team at erz Studio.”

We worked with the Burrell Collection for a while in the lead up to designing the playground to ensure it was absolutely the right fit for the space and the audience. This included inviting a youth group to the site for a co-design workshop and examining their play patterns to see what provided them with the most joy and play value.

Liaising with The Burrell, we designed the outdoor play space to reflect our findings and we are delighted to have produced an outcome that incorporates this.

The overall concept of the play area capitalises on the escape of the creatures that can be found upon the sculptures and tapestries within the collection. Working in partnership with local artist collective, Sculpture and Design, Timberplay customised many products and also commissioned standalone artwork reflecting the animals within the collection. Due to the height limitations, low level sand play is used heavily across the play area, creating a unique play experience that is proving popular with the Collection’s younger visitors. Supplied by Timberplay Scotland’s partner, All Urban, circular seating and a linear concrete bench provide design led seating that fit within the space perfectly. Seating is an important factor when designing play spaces as the more comfortable the family feels, the longer they will want to spend there, especially for the likes of The Burrell Collection, primarily known as a day trip location.

The range of equipment here provides play opportunities for all ages; for toddlers, the sand itself is a great sensory element and stationery animals provide a memorable, friendly face, for older children, wooden transport systems encourage scientific curiosity and teamwork by ensuring each user is thinking ahead about where they want the sand to go and then working out how to get it there. Sand play equipment such as this is fantastic for building communication and socialising in play spaces as often there is a better outcome when children work together.

Cameron Gough, Special Projects Officer (Interactives) for the Burrell Renaissance Project says: -

“Working with Timberplay who, alongside ERZ Studio, designed, supplied and fitted a playscape in the grounds outside The Burrell Collection was an absolute joy. Not only did they create a wonderous area where children and adults can explore the outdoors in a safe and fun way, but they did this under tight constraints of working in a complex environment through Covid. We were particularly impressed with build quality, how it beautifully blended into the landscape and most importantly how they understood the target audience”

We are proud of the dedication gone into our playground at The Burrell Collection and look forward to working on similar projects across Scotland in the future.