Halve It Component:

My design project focuses heavily on the Wellness pillar of our school's framework, with a secondary link to the Environment pillar.

• WELLNESS means looking after ourselves in more ways then making sure we aren't sick or unhealthy. For teenagers moving through puberty and teenagehood, it means controlling your feelings, keeping them steady and not spiraling out of control. It's important in all schools that students feel calm and centred instead of stressed out.

• ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN means choosing how our active spaces (like playgrounds, pathways and buildings) are designed and built, the style of buildings can change the way people act inside of it, so it's essential to have calm and graceful buildings to help focus. Different materials help as well. 

Sustainable Development Goal:
SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing
The  Project Playtopia meets SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) because it turns boring playspaces into kingdoms of happiness and joy.It also helps health because kids will be moving and getting exercise, this also improves wellbeing by making connections. You can create a solid friend group and have fun as well.   

School Context:

If you look closely at our new school campus design, there is a big problem. There are absolutely no adolescent play spaces, not one. Since Middle School was created, our environment has not afforded quality play spaces. This is a problem because adolescents absolutely need play spaces at school. Research shows that structured and unstructured play remains a necessity for teenagers. It provides much needed relief of stress.It also helps  social connection, and identity formation. State-Level Statistics: In NSW, 43 out of approximately 2,200 schools fall below the recommended standard of play spaces. We need to build a strong play space so we do not fall into these statistics.

Liveability

Liveability is an essential part of the environment and tells you a lot about the place, its safety, geographical factors and sociability.  It's super important that a Middle School playground is very liveable and inclusive to all. Liveability is when you build to live and thrive, not to simply exist. This playground will achieve this by making spaces that will help all people. For example, if a group of people liked quiet places but some other people liked to be loud then both considerations could be made to support both groups. 

Blue Zones

Blue Zones are five places around the world where people live and thrive longer. Some of the things that help them do this are strong family and friends bonds, having a purpose in life, exercise and play. Play is a really important part of life for kids and adults. It helps us to connect and keep active. So having good play spaces in schools is essential for adolescent growth and development. In Blue Zones they don't have set play time they simply do it for the fun of it. It's super important that kids feel that school is fun and want to come to school. My design would incorporate things that everyone will enjoy and have fun with.

Some of the elements to support this will be a climbing wall to challenge people who like to climb and get stronger. There will be a place to sit in the shade and in the sun and a swing set to help people to feel like they're flying - the ultimate freedom.

How might we design a playground that encourages enjoyment and releases energy for increased learning focus?

My idea is to build a playground that helps everyone's needs, enhancing their day to day lives. Living  School playgrounds are not ideal. This playground design will feature a number of elements. Additionally, to align with our school’s philosophy around upcycling and providing a sustainable environment, most of the materials will be recycled.

We will include a fort where the roof will be reused tin from the carpark roof. The fort will mainly be made out of wood so will find some wood at Brown and Jolly floors and in the building. This fort will be a place to communicate, talk and imagine with friends. The floor will be big enough to sit and talk with friends.

Next, there will be a swing set that will help kids relax and swing. There will also be one of those big round swings so you can talk and swing with friends. Swinging is super relaxing and calming.

Next, there will be a place under the fort called The Cave. This will be a place  to eat and hang out. This will be private so you can relax without being in the middle of the playground.

There will also be a climbing wall so you can climb and release all that energy so you're not climbing the walls in class. It will be made out of recycled wood and plastic. Lastly, there will also be a fire pole to get down from the fort. The playspace includes lots of uniqueness so lots of people can use this space in different ways.