Carlton Playground

View of Carlton Playground looking towards the Melbourne Exhibition Buildings.

Project details

• Project Name: Carlton Playground
• Client: City of Melbourne
• Project Type: Playground
• Principal Designer/s: Taylor Cullity Lethlean with Mary Jeavons Landscape Architects
• Design Team: Perry Lethlean, Marshal Kellaher, Ross Privatelli, Mary Jeavons
• Contractor/s: Meinhardts, Landscape and Irrigation Services
• Date of commencement of project: 1998
• Date of completion of project: 2000
• Location of site: Exhibition Gardens, Carlton, Australia
• Cost of Construction/Execution: $400000

Internal divisions of Carlton Playground allowing alternative play spaces for play.

Words from the Architect

The design of the Carlton Gardens Playground is loosely based on the popular 19th century maze, with internal divisions featuring gaps, spaces and varying in height from ground level to a few feet, giving a unique sense of space and adventure.

The playground is set in the lowest part of an old pond area, allowing for viewing from the surrounding raised mounds which will be equipped with picnic tables, seats, BBQ's and drinking fountains.

Another feature of the Carlton Playground is two climbing structures.

The 'maze' is transected by a swathe - a curved pathway of granitic gravel with planting, musical marimba's and submerged boulders. Two play structures are included (one junior, one senior) offering a further dimension of play opportunities including viewing, climbing, sliding, hanging, swinging and crawling. Sand play is provided in one quadrant of the maze. Other surfaces are a combination of grass, synthetic softfall and granitic gravel. Wheelchair access is possible along the swathe, transecting pathway and into the play structures.

Photograph by Ben Wrigley, courtesy of Taylor Cullity Lethlean.

The playground complements the design principles outlined in the Masterplan for the Exhibition Gardens and merges with the surrounding landform.

Credits

• Text: Taylor Cullity Lethlean
• Photographs: Ben Wrigley