The Play Patchwork!
The Play Patchwork focuses on the loss of Free Child-led Play in the everyday lives of primary school children aged 5-12 through addressing the systematic and spatial barriers faced by children and parents when it comes to Play.
The project locates itself in Harpurhey, a community in Greater Manchester that has a large children population with high levels of deprivation. As a result, families in the area face significant financial, environmental and systematic barriers to safe and enriching Play opportunities.
Currently most British households rely on public Play provisions for outdoor Play, making public Playgrounds the primary setting for children’s Play. However, with the growing decline in both the availability and quality of these spaces, combined with Britain’s wet, cold, and unpredictable weather, there is a pressing need to reimagine public Play areas. This includes incorporating an indoor environment that provides both year-round opportunities for Play while also supporting the full spectrum of the sixteen types of Play.
The Play Patchwork proposes a Community-Play House as a catalyst for transformation which forms part of a broader reimagining of Harpurhey Park. Alongside improving access to Free Play opportunities, the project aims to strengthen community bonds, nurture children’s independence and foster a sense of belonging in order to restore Play as a fundamental part of everyday life.
