Chilean architecture practice Elemental Studio has set a new standard for children's playgrounds with its new addition to Santiago Metropolitan Park. A central aim of the project, sited on the San Cristobal hill, is to help improve Santiago's social landscape through great quality public space for all.
Echoing Chile's strong geography that spans tall mountains, deserts, green forests and long beaches, the park offers a varied geography that leads up an 80m-tall hill. An irrigation canal runs through it, connecting the north neighbourhoods of Santiago that sit behind the park to the main water supply.
This replaced an earlier canal running around the park, which was subsequently left dry and neglected. The redesign of this disused canal, called Canal del Carmen, was the project's starting point, initiated by architect Ricardo Torrejon who went on to work at Elemental, bringing the scheme with him.
The team have also produced a welcoming topography with a slope comfortable enough for a stroll and a playground that is safe, but also fun.
Sitting at the bottom of the park, the playground marks the entrance towards green areas, and is connected to the nearby zoo. The design includes a selection of games, water features and sitting areas, made mainly out of metal, wood and concrete.
One of Santiago's rare public outdoors areas (the city offers 4 sq m of public space per inhabitant, as opposed to London's 44 sq m, for example) this playground is planned to enhance people's quality of life in the area.
Creating a large piece of game-orientated green that is thoughtfully designed and free for all to use, the architects aim to not only secure a great playground for the children but also to create a 'shortcut towards equality', improving the life of hundreds of Santiago residents.
One of Santiago's rare public outdoors areas (the city offers 4 sq m of public space per inhabitant, as opposed to London's 44 sq m, for example) this playground is designed to enhance people's quality of life in the area
Echoing the country's strong geography that spans tall mountains, deserts, green forests and long beaches, the park offers a varied geography that leads up an 80m-tall hill
The team have produced a welcoming topography with a slope comfortable enough for a stroll and a playground that is safe, but also fun
The design includes a selection of games, water features and sitting areas, made mainly out of metal, wood and concrete
Sitting at the bottom of the park, the playground marks the entrance towards green areas, and is connected to the nearby zoo
The architects have created a large piece of game-orientated space that is thoughtfully designed and free for all to use
Their aim is to not only secure a great playground for the children but also to create a 'shortcut towards equality', improving the life of hundreds of Santiago residents
-
A stripped-back elegance defines these timeless watch designsWatches from Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Rolex and more speak to universal design codes
-
Postcard from Brussels: a maverick design scene has taken root in the Belgian capitalBrussels has emerged as one of the best places for creatives to live, operate and even sell. Wallpaper* paid a visit during the annual Collectible fair to see how it's coming into its own
-
Move over, palazzos. Performances were the biggest trend at Milan Design WeekThis year, brands brought on the drama via immersive installations across the city
-
A wooden lakeside cabin in southern Chile offers a new twist on the traditional barnClad in local Coigüe timber, this lakeside cabin by Tomás Tironi and Lezaeta Lavanchy on Lake Ranco, titled Casa Puerto Nuevo, adds contemporary flair to the local vernacular
-
This new lakeside house in Chile is a tour de force of contemporary timber constructionCazú Zegers’ lakeside house Casa Pyr is inspired by the geometry of fire and flames, and nestles into its rocky site
-
Tour a Chilean pavilion perched on the coast: a sanctuary for sleep and star-gazingAlgarrobo-based architecture studio Whale! has designed a Chilean pavilion for rest and relaxation, overlooking a nature reserve on the Pacific coast
-
House in the Trees offers a bird's eye view of the Chilean forestHouse in the Trees by Max Núñez and Stefano Rolla is an angular Chilean cabin in woods, touching the ground lightly
-
Chile’s Panguipulli Theatre brings purpose-built architecture to the learning experiencePanguipulli Theatre, a community-centred cultural space in Chile's Región de los Ríos, combines purpose-built architecture and learning
-
This Chilean beach house comprises a series of pavilions set beneath a wooden roofWYND Architects has completed a Chilean beach house – a multigenerational family retreat, raised up above a site overlooking the Pacific Ocean
-
A modern barnhouse makes a faceted form on an exposed site in Southern ChileEstudio Diagonal’s barnhouse project, Ridge House, is a stripped back private home that uses everyday materials and simple geometry to maximise interior space
-
Industrialised building system prototype proposes solution for urgent housing needsWe examine an industrialized building system prototype proposal by Chilean architecture practices Ignacio Rojas Hirigoyen Architects and Cristian Dominguez Fernandez
