Before we know it, the Middle Eastern sun will be hot enough to fry eggs on the sidewalk and kids will want to stay inside in front of televisions to escape the heat. But DI Berhard Gruber has designed a playground that is not only cool enough to play in, but also teaches kids about the environment. In addition to fun “outdoorsy” games such as climbing and playing in a sandbox, children can learn to generate energy using their own life force.
The playground is essentially built into earthen hills and covered with recycled truck covers in order to shade it from the sun. For children in urban environments that have little experience with nature, there will be no shortage of it as the walls will be covered in plants.
The facility will be kept cool with buried pipes that circulate cool air through the earthen walls. These work by encouraging air from the top of the building (cool air sinks, hot air rises), which will then be expelled at the lowest level. Space between hilltops and the roof will also enable wind to pass through the building while an interior pool will also add to the cooling effect.
DI Bernhard Gruber also proposes to include “wind games;” these educational toys harvest the children’s energy to produce even further cooling. This beautiful facility will enable children to play in the sand pit, get as dirty as they like, and in general have a frolicking good time without passing out from heat exhaustion.
:: Arch Daily
More architecture news from the Middle East:
Beautiful Red Sea Film School Integrates Nature as a Teaching Tool
All of Saudi Will Come To the Mile High Kingdom Tower>
Foster & Partners Finish Gorgeous Green Building in Morocco
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
