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DOCUMENT RESUME EF 005 637 ED 436 944 Cohen, Uriel; Hill, Ann B.; Lane, Carol G.; McGinty, Tim; AUTHOR Moore, Gary T. Recommendations for Child Play Areas. TITLE Wisconsin Univ., Milwaukee. Center for Architecture and INSTITUTION Urban Planning Research.; Community Design Center, Inc., Milwaukee, WI. Office of the Chief of Engineers (Army), Washington, DC. SPONS AGENCY VW-CAVPR-R79-1 REPORT NO 1999-00-00 PUB DATE 350p.; For related documents from the Center for NOTE Architecture and Urban Planning Research, see ED 184 694-697. DACA73-78-C-0005 CONTRACT Center for Architecture and Urban Planning Research, AVAILABLE FROM University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201 ($25). Descriptive (141) -- Reports Non-Classroom (055) Guides PUB TYPE MF01/PC14 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE Child Development; *Educational Facilities Improvement; DESCRIPTORS *Educational Facilities Planning; Elementary Schools; *Facility Guidelines; *Public Schools; Student Needs *Military Bases; *Playground Design IDENTIFIERS ABSTRACT This interim criteria document provides descriptive information and planning, evaluation, and design guidelines for children's play areas located on military bases. The recommendations are presented in two major sections: planning & architecture design. Subcategories within the planning, criteria, and recommendations section address program master planning, physical master planning, physical planning decisions, and architectural program development process. Design recommendations subcategories address site organizing principles, patterns of activity recommendations spaces, general design of play spaces, and site details. The different design are presented as a series of "patterns," each suggesting a idea in response to children's needs and the research information collected, and each further specifying detailed design criteria. A summary of important planning and design issues and recommendations, and an introduction to new the physical ways of thinking about children, their play, and the role of environment in child development and play precedes the actual recommendations. (GR) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement ,A EDU TIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. RECOMMENDATIONS Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this FOR document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. CHILD PLAY AREAS I I IMINPNeemormoreremrpoe*: Uriel Cohen Ann B. Hill Carol G. Lane Tim McGinty Gary T. Moore UNIVERSITYof WISCONSIN UMILWAUKEE BEST COPY AVAILABLE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHIC n PI AY ARPAS Uriel Cohen Ann B. Hill Carol G. Lane Tim McGinty Gary T. Moore Task III(al) of Contract No. DACA73-78-C-0005 U.S. Department of the Army Office of the Chief of Engineers Special Projects Branch Washington, D.C. COMMUNITY DESIGN CENTER INC. MILWAUKEE WITH CENTER FOR ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING RESEARCH UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MILWAUKEE 3 1979 PUBLICATIONS IN ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING Center for Architecture and Urban Planning Research University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee P.O. Box 413 Milwaukee, WI 53201 Report R79-1 Additional copies of this report are available for $25.00 prepaid by writing the above address. Copyright @ 1979 Children's Environment Project Reprinted 1999 CREDITS Planning and Design Criteria Uriel Cohen Ann B. Hill Carol G. Lane Tim McGinty Gary T. Moore Graphics Tim McGinty Tom Mudrovich Editing Gary T. Moore Heidi Marie Hollenbeck Lisa Lindberg Typing Lisa Lindberg Layout and Production Don Gatzke Overall Task Management Uriel Cohen ii PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This document is a joint product of the Center for Architecture and Urban Planning Research, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), and the Community Design Center, Inc. of Milwaukee (CDC). The document was pre- pared as part of Task III, Criteria and Literature Search and Analysis, of Contract No. DACA73-78-C-0005 between the U.S. Department of the Army, Office of the Chief of Engineers, and CDC, Inc. and its sub- contractor, UWM. The planning and design criteria were pre- pared and written by Uriel Cohen, Ann B. Hill, Carol G. Lane, Tim McGinty, and Gary T. Moore. The overall goal of the Environments for Play and Child Care Project is to develop a new design guide and technical manual for the planning and design of child support facilities and outdoor play areas on U.S. The current Army bases around the country. task is a part of that overall objective. This document is one of several interim reports. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface and Acknowledgments INTRODUCTION Problem and Purpose of this Document 1 Methods Used to Develop the Criteria 4 Organization and Use of this Document 7 SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS 9 CHILDREN'S PLAY AND CHILD PLAY FACILITIES The Nature of Play 13 Types of Play Areas and their Locations 29 Emerging Trends 50 PLANNING CRITERIA AND RECOMMENDATIONS Program Master Planning 100 A Program and Master Plan 101 An Advocate for Play 102 A Variety of Play Experiences 103 Strategies for Funding and 104 Establishing Play Areas Multi-Factor Economic Analysis 105 Play Leaders 106 Physical Master Planning Guidelines 200 The Tiered Park System 201 Intraservice Regional Park 202 Base-Wide Park 203 Adjacent Neighborhood Parks 204 Neighborhood Park 205 Comprehensive Neighborhood 206 Playground Play Lots 207 Home Based Play Areas 208 Links 209 Physical Planning Decisions 300 Establishing Need for Facility Types 301 Establishing Location for Facilities 302 7 iv 400 Architectural Program Development Process 401 Establishing an Approach and Developing a Program 402 Broad Participation in the Planning Process DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS 500 Site Organizing Principles 501 Neighborhood-Based Play Network of Play 502 503 Comprehensive Playgrounds 504 Favorable Microclimates 505 Controlled Access 506 Views To and From Play Areas 507 Proximity of Play Areas 508 Separated But Linked Zones 509 Semi-Enclosed Play Spaces 510 Looped Circulation 511 Continuity and Branching 512 Degrees of Shelter 600 Patterns for Activity Spaces 601 Shared Open Space 602 Informal Paved Areas 603 Home-Based Activity Pockets 604 Open Grassy Play Areas 605 Hard-Surface Playing Areas 606 Adventure Play Areas 607 Creative Play Areas 608 Environmental Yards 609 Children's Gardens 610 Fenced Animal Areas 611 Designated Play Structures 612 Play Spaces for Infants 613 Skatelioarding Runs 614 Residual Areas 700 General Design of Play Spaces 701 Ambiguous Settings and Objects 702 Loose Parts 703 Paced Alternatives 704 Challenging Environments Nests for Quiet Play 705 706 Range of Social Scale 707 "Children Only" 708 Water Play Areas Protected Sand and Dirt Play Areas 709 Play Above the Ground 710 Play Areas as Landmarks 711 Clear Accomplishment Points 712 Retreat and Breakaway Points 713 Variety of 3-D Spaces 714 Small Arts and Crafts Nooks 715 Stages and Props 716 Supervised Fire and Cooking Area 717 Imageability and Orientation 718 Orderliness and Consistency 719 Emotional Release Points 720 Repetition and Multiple Coding 721 Barrier-Free Environment 722 Site Details 800 Outdoor Storage 801 Berms as Play Equipment 802 Landscaped Barriers 803 Landscaping Materials 804 Planting and Ground Shaping 805 Snow and Ice 806 Appropriate Utilities 807 Positive Drainage 808 PATTERNS MATRICES FOR THE SELECTION OF vi INTRODUCTION n