Touring A Nature Play Design Project With Emerging Professionals
Leading like-minded students through the project’s process
Sharing What It Takes
Park design can be a challenge. Designing a one-of-a-kind nature play area is no exception. We shared our expertise, some lessons learned, and a little inspiration with emerging professionals from the University of Colorado Environmental Design Program on a sunny, crisp October morning.
A multi-faceted process
This senior class studio visited the Nature Kids Discovery Zone at Sanchez Elementary in our hometown of Lafayette, Colorado near Denver. Design Concepts Associate and Project Manager Carter Marshall was joined for the tour by Keith Desrosiers, Executive Director of Thorne Nature Experience, who played a pivotal role in funding and coordinating the project. We talked over the multi-year project and covered funding, political dynamics, access, materials, earthwork, plantings and other elements that went into realizing a successful effort.
Park Design of Their Own
The CU students are currently underway on a design study of Violet Park in Boulder, Colorado. Similar to the Sanchez school property, their park site includes a major stormwater channel with mature tree cover and is the nearest green space to a high density, lower income neighborhood. Students are tasked to include nature play elements on site and visited our Nature Play Zone to get a real-world look how we designed the project.
