River Trails Nature Playground
Specialties: Landscape Architecture
Details
Years: 2020 - 2021
Location: Mt. Prospect, IL
Awards: IL ASLA Merit Award
TERRA provided landscape architecture services for a natural playground serving a renovated public preschool and kindergarten in Mount Prospect. At the site of a former parking lot, the area was transformed into a nature playground with landscape mounds built from excavated fill from construction and natural elements such as wood equipment, outcropping stones, wood stumps, and native planting. The project includes several play areas including a sandpit with a water pump and sluiceway, an outdoor learning amphitheater with gazebo and outcropping steps, and a large mound with an embankment slide and climbing wall. The play area will become an educational resource for the existing school with an artboard drawing area, vegetable garden area, and musical sensory area, and butterfly exploration path.
Working as a part of design-build team, TERRA took the project over from initial concept to construction paying special attention to accessibility requirements while maintaining the natural aesthetic of the project. The unique park will be utilized by the school during their hours and open to the public on the weekend. Focusing on open-ended play geared for younger children, the unique play space creates many moments of exploration for the users to enjoy.
