Unwin Estate, London | Playground Design and Build

Unwin Estate Playground

The team from the Great Estates Programme from Southwark Council, London got in touch with us to design and build new playground for the residents of Unwin Estate, Peckham. Having seen some of our previous projects they knew we offered something different to your usual playground equipment supplies. We are best known for our site specific design that make the most of the given space and budget.

The Process

The Great Estates team took a residents’ centred approach and supported them to run a very successful consultation with the local community to discover what the
most popular requirement were. This was done by asking residents to draw their dream playground on a piece of paper and the team tally up all the creating a tick
box list of all possibilities such as slides, swings, table tennis table and seating. The elements with the highest scores took priority and were all successfully added to the
scheme.

The old playground was looking rather tired, attracted ASB, lacked play value and many members of the community felt it did not work a community space. After a couple of site meetings we set to work on a design that have the greatest positive impact. The decision was made to retain the mounds and landform that were already in place from the previous playground. By doing this we were able to build into the topography and make the most of what was already there. This gave our client a considerable saving and also avoided large amounts of material going to landfill.

We also wanted to add as much greenery to the site as we could. This is always a big objective of ours when building and designing playgrounds. We planted 2 new trees and added new raised planters for the residents to plant wild flowers and grow vegetables. We believe that creating new community places are a great opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint, create shade and increase biodiversity.

The Result

The end result was a playground that ticked as many boxes for the community as possible. By using a combination of adaptable equipment and bespoke features we utilised every penny of the budget and every metre of space. The result is a well loved playground for the local community. The space now works as a fantastic community hub which in turn creates a stronger local community. The photos in the gallery were taken 1 year after the project completion. You can tell from these images how well it has been cared for since we left site. A testament to our work.

Kind words from our client –

Working with PlayEquip was a truly seamless experience. Their team showcased remarkable problem-solving skills and worked collaboratively with us to deliver the project within budget and on time. They proved incredibly accommodating, able to pivot when necessary and remained receptive to new ideas throughout. The end result is a space that is used by the whole community and most importantly it brings joy and happiness to our residents and their children. By engaging both us and the residents in the design process, they ensured that the finished product met everyone’s requirements. PlayEquip’s dedication and expertise shines brightly in their work, it was a pleasure to work with them.

David Suen, Service Development Manager

Lashaun Atta-Twim, Projects Officer

London Borough of Southwark

The design incorporated aspects including :-

A relaxing basket swing
Additional planters for vegetable growing and biodiversity
A bespoke natural climbing frame that ties into additional natural play features
x2 stainless steel slides for older and younger children
Steel core ropes and nets
Stepping stumps and balance beams
Additional social seating
Climbing ramp
Table tennis table for older children