Building upon a strong local reputation for producing individual and distinctive play environments, and following a comprehensive selection process, Theories Landscapes Ltd was commissioned by LB Merton to design and build a new Adventure Playground on a site shared with the Intergenerational Centre.

Good play opportunities with sympathetic and creative adult support are sadly a rarity. We believe that the IGC adventure playground project has not only provided an imaginative, well used and successful play environment for the local community but also helped raise the standards of good play design practice.

The Intergenerational Centre, as its title implies, aims to integrate a wide range of age groups and their various needs and activities. Merton Early Years, Childcare and Children’s Centre Department approached Theories in 2010 to creatively and competitively support their objectives to provide an integrated and exciting, high quality play environment with an emphasis on “risk benefits” and play innovation.

Theories had great fun working creatively with a group of volunteer children from a local school who helped develop the play design brief and to act as a test bed for ideas and concepts.

The design drawn up with their help created a dramatic and attractive play landscape incorporating custom-made play structures featuring slides, swings and climbing. The design also included softer grass mounding and extensive planting giving opportunities for active as well as quieter play activities all around a central social core with dens and an open fire pit.

Theories was chosen not only for its innovative play design reputation but its capacity to always deliver on time and on budget. Funding for this project came from Play Pathfinder, and has became Merton's flagship play project.

Theories was able to handle the entire project comprehensively from beginning to end, from consultation and design to building and aftercare. A design/build solution has once again demonstrated real value for money at the same time as its capacity to create extraordinary play environments and great play experiences.