A+U 668 - Spaces for Play (Preorder)

a+u’s May issue explores how architects insert play into built environments for children and adults alike. Play is often overlooked in urban design, as shown by Tracing Van Eyck, noting fewer than 20 of Aldo van Eyck’s 700 Amsterdam playgrounds remain. Projects like Nami Play Pavilion show flexible interventions in housing contexts, while GiganteBlu activates heritage sites. Material diversity shapes experience, from Pod for Happiness’s local materials to Boulder Park’s 3D-printed forms. Rita Lee Park and Color Pit demonstrate repair of aging urban spaces. Together, these works frame play spaces as catalysts for imagination among users, designers, and builders alike.