Water and Play

 A large part of the Ashlar Park Design focuses on play, and creating stimulating educational landscapes. I really enjoy conceptualising play structures and experiences and this project has given me the opportunity to extend my research on precedent schemes. Aside from the Forest Ramble at Jurong (which I have covered quite a bit in this blog), I have looked into the Sanya Haitang River Nature Discovery Park in Hainan China. Only recently opened in 2023, the project includes incredible play structures made of Bamboo and Metal, along with a tidal pool with miniature dams. As Ashlar Park is largely inspired by Alney Islands' sociocultural and geographical context in Gloucester and the River Severn, exploring the tidal phenomenon that causes the famed Severn Bore is a fitting feature experience for the play area. This is how the below illustrated Bore Channel was conceptualised.