CHILDREN’S SQUARE
São Paulo, Brazil
by Isabel Duprat
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It was extremely enjoyable and fun to participate in the creation of this playground designed by Studio MK27, which was based on the idea of a large circular central space around which many activities would take place on radial axes. I thought of bringing the vegetation in a playful way stimulating in children their perception and relation with nature.
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We divided the area into quadrants defining four different interconnected universes to be explored, with activities that would enchant them by enabling countless discoveries.
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These themes were located according to the insolation on the property, thus selecting for the respective quadrants the vegetation groups related to greater or lesser need for sun. 
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Quadrant 1 - Discovering the Forest
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Taking advantage of the existing trees in the plot of land, shade plants spread with different designs and colors, such as calateas and musaceaes, with their flowers resembling animals and birds, with lush colors, orange, red and pink, banana trees, a small group of palm trees, mosses, foliage, like philodendrons. Permeating this cool, woodsy environment, a trail of pebble wrapped up at times reveals animal tracks that encourage us to search for dinosaur, lion, jaguar, etc. The footprints would be identified on a panel, as in a game, and would appear alongside tropical leaf fossils.
Quadrant 2 - Tree House
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Continuing on the pebble path, still following the tracks, now flanked by colorful grasses, wild strawberries, lots of tiny flowers, sugar cane, a jabuticaba tree, we come to a small theater and a climbing net.
Quadrant 3 - The Labyrinth
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The myrtle maze hides a treasure trove of beautiful Brazilian stones embedded in the ground like amethysts, topaz and tourmaline to be discovered and known. A map of Brazil highlighting the map of São Paulo with its drawing saying, "we are here". An herb garden is an invitation to experience smells and flavors.
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A literally flooded area has several species of aquatic plants and its crossing through a stone path allows us to see the bottom covered of colored stones, the same as the ones found in the maze treasure.
Intervention area 900 m²
Project 2013-2015
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