The Beating Heart in the City of Colour
The world’s first playground was put into a bleak industrial city, to revitalize it, to encourage the workers to stay. In the brand new and colourful city of Aura, the playground came first, to entice people in. Aura is the first Australian city to be designed and constructed to the world’s highest environmental and sustainability standards, a bit like the centerpiece KOMPAN Corocord playground that was part of the first phase. Each weekend it drew in thousands of would-be settlers helping them to make up their minds and become citizens. The playground’s theme was inspired by nature and then ignited by design to fit into Aura’s maxim, City of Colour.
Built to WOW
Like KOMPAN itself, the Aura playground was born out of observation. The actions and environment are re-creations of the thrill and fun of climbing in and out of impressive hollow tree stumps, but without the bugs. The design is unique, the features that combine to make it so, are flexible. The Sky walk, fast slides, climbing net and balance rope are the powerful blend that pushes fear and thrill up to, but not beyond, the boundaries of safety.
Physical
Social/emotional
Cognitive
Creative
They love the rope walks. I think it's the fear factor because it’s up so high – that’s the fun factor.
Design Principal, Place Design Group
