This play space is defined by activities; what kids do. They run, bike and bounce on the flat rubber surface. They slide on the slide and climb on the climber. But if someone suddenly spread a tarp over the geodesic climber, it would start to be defined by place; the place inside the dome and the one outside. The roof place would be transformed into two places. By drawing a circle on the floor, two more places would be added; the place in the circle and the place outside of it. Each gesture adds complexity and choices for children and turns the playthings in the space into props that are engaged in a more creative way.

Paradoxically, by filling the space with well thought out stuff, you create more places in which to play and be, thereby creating, in effect, more space.

In a nutshell, this is the process of MAKING PLACES. It has been our basic approach to designing play spaces for kids over last 35 years and specifically, to a possible design for the Trevor Day School roof.

(This project was discontinued.)