INNOVATIVE USE OF PLAYTOP^® AT AWARD WINNING NURSERY

A striking children’s centre that breaks new ground in the design of nursery facilities and that has just been presented with a top RIBA architectural award, demonstrates how imaginatively Playtop® impact-absorbing surfacing can be used.

The Fawood Children’s Centre provides a delightful safe environment for pre-school children within a spectacular new building on the Stonebridge estate in Harlesden, London.  Designed by Alsop Design Ltd, the brief was to create a Children’s Centre that would accommodate a nursery for 3-5 year olds, nursery facilities for autistic and special needs children, and a base for adult learning services.

The Centre has been designed as a vast shed-like enclosure encompassing brightly coloured classroom units and protected external play areas.  Recycled prefabricated three-storey sea containers, resembling giant children’s building blocks, were specially adapted, decorated and fitted out to provide the necessary indoor play and teaching areas.  The design promotes complete integration of indoor and outdoor environments.

Largely protected from the elements by the lightweight roof and mesh “walls”, the external space of the Children’s Centre, featuring a piazza for outdoor picnics, a willow tunnel, a tree house and a water garden, promise hours of enjoyable play in what are in effect “outdoor rooms”.

Five different colours, totalling over 280 square metres of Playtop® impact-absorbing surfacing were laid around the “outdoor rooms” of the Centre and had to be installed once the recycled sea containers had been put into position.

Stephen Eborall of Durkan, based at Waltham Cross, who was the main contractor for this Design & Build project said: “ Our client wanted a colourful floor that would map out a route for the children to follow and we needed to ensure the floor was practical to withstand a semi-exposed environment and remained durable to foot traffic. The Playtop sales team was very helpful, patient and informative on the best solution to ensure a clear defined line of colours and patterns. The main reason for choosing Playtop was that we knew from previous contracts that the product is of good quality and hard wearing. There was an added benefit that the cost saving over the original flooring concept allowed us scope within our budget to permit other key striking features to be incorporated in the project, so from a quantity surveyor's view it was also the right economic solution."
 
The Centre is one of six buildings that have reached the final of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Sterling prize, won last year by Foster & Partners’ distinctive “gherkin” building, 30 St Mary Axe. The prize winner will be announced in October 2005.
 
Playtop Safer Surfacing remains the market-leader in the UK. The company, which has been at the forefront of the sector for over two decades, reports a continued and growing interest in its Playtop^® brand as customers recognise the key advantages of the unique system.

Playtop’s enduring qualities, coupled with an exceptionally high level of customer service, a commitment to safety standards and a comprehensive portfolio of design options, has ensured that the brand stays ahead of passing trends in play surfacing. 

Marc Blamire of Playtop Limited comments: “Playtop® has an enormously positive reputation in the market – a reputation that we maintain by remaining at the forefront of technological developments and constantly exploring new applications. It’s clean, seamless surface and low maintenance needs are always attractive to customers that must justify value for money.

“Playtop has a low life cycle cost and an exceptionally tough construction. This can be demonstrated by the fact that the first Playtop® surface, which was installed in 1977, is still being enjoyed by the children of the surrounding area today. Local authorities looking for creative and safe play area surfaces, schools and nurseries, private and public projects, have all found that Playtop^®, designed specifically to their requirements, offers a long-term solution to their needs”

With its own supply of raw material, a quality control system certified to ISO 9001 and over 25 years of expertise in the sector, Playtop Limited is the obvious choice to ensure that the client has peace of mind.

Photos used are copyright of Alsop Design Ltd