Melbourne playground designer Mike Hewson has defended his unconventional approach to playground design after one of his creations was criticised as being too dangerous for children. The New Zealand artist designed the Rocks on Wheels playground, which incorporates unusual elements including large rocks and steel platforms and is intended to provide children with a more challenging play environment.
Hewson said the playground meets the applicable safety code and argued that playgrounds should do more than simply provide a safe environment. He said play spaces should respond to children’s developmental needs and allow them to encounter complexity, explore their surroundings and learn how to manage challenging situations.
According to Hewson, children are highly engaged with the playgrounds he creates, while community attitudes towards the designs can change after people become familiar with them. He said the City of Melbourne’s brief supported the approach taken with the project.
Hewson also argued that experiencing fear within a play environment can help children learn how to respond to challenging situations. He suggested that providing these experiences through playground design could help children develop skills for navigating the wider world. The debate surrounding Rocks on Wheels highlights differing views about the balance between safety requirements, perceived risk and developmental challenge in contemporary playground design.
