Saxon Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired Chemnitz

Barrier-free schoolyards and playgrounds

The more than 100-year-old campus of the Saxon Rehabilitation Centre for the Blind and Visually Impaired in Chemnitz underwent extensive renovation starting in 2003. Areas for playing, moving and learning were integrated into the park-like grounds with their historic network of paths. Like an island, a "feeling and listening playground" was created in the middle of the listed surroundings, in which a colourful, object-like play environment with a variety of movement and experimentation functions was designed.
In the foreground was the idea of viewing the play environment of children as an educational field. Seen in this way, a child forms basic skills while interacting in play, experiencing haptic or visual stimuli, being stimulated to move or to solve problems. For visually impaired children, who often also have motor impairments, interaction, i.e. sending and responding to stimuli and suggestions, plays a particularly important role. It was therefore important to create a protected play and movement space on the one hand, and one that was as "attractive" and "stimulating" as possible on the other.
Accordingly, a play space was created that was delimited by a "hemmed-in" fence, yet freely accessible, with a thoroughly experimental concept. The surface of the feeling and listening playground, covered with soft, bright blue EPDM plastic granulate, was extended into the third dimension by the "bubble". The "bubble", a 1.80 metre high hill, is also easy to climb for children with restricted mobility and wheelchair users and proves to be a very popular sweeping but not too steep "descent". From the top, it is possible to look out of the play area and take in the park surroundings. Next to it, a 2.50 metre long "slide trough" was formed from polished cast stone. An edge with a 3-cm stop running around the entire play area represents the tactile outer boundary.
The forest of poles with the "feeling and hearing parts" is just as striking as the blue ground. In the gripping distance of approx. 0.8 - 1.3 meters 2.90 meters high high-grade steel rods are arranged around a core surface. The rods are threaded with differently shaped, coloured wooden "feel-particles". The particles have milled grooves or holes and can be pushed and turned in the manner of a "turning puzzle". When they are aligned in a certain way, the fingers of the child's hand can lie in corresponding finger depressions. By feeling and palpating the nearest rods and particles, the space is not only perceived visually, but also felt. "Auditory particles" include pipes connected underground with auditory and speech funnels that stimulate interaction between children. Other "listening particles" are movable wooden elements and produce sounds, such as rattles, the sound of bells or ratchets, when turned and pushed. Seat mats suspended between the poles invite children to rock and relax.
Now thirteen years since completion, a summary can be ventured. We have found that we learn the most about playgrounds when we take the time to watch them play. It is not the size of the place or the number of pieces of equipment that determine whether and how play is done. Rather, it is the range of possibility spaces there are to explore, test and take possession of that is decisive. With regard to the "feel and listen playground", it can be stated that especially the blue, soft, moving terrain with the "bubble" and the slide is a highlight for the children who move in barrier-free, level environments in everyday life. The pole forest presents an even greater challenge. However, it has been shown that the shiny stainless steel surfaces of the poles are rather poorly perceived visually. Matte surfaces contrasting in color to the bright environment would have been more favorable. While the listening tubes can be explored well in pairs, the concept of the rotating puzzle is rather designed for single play. Here, additions to the particles and an easier "operability" of the rotating elements would be able to promote interaction even better.

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1. Barrier-free schoolyards and playgrounds