West Princess Street Gardens, Scotland
The West Princes Street Gardens Project—A Model for Inclusive and Historic Urban Play Spaces, Scotland
The Edinburgh and Lothian Greenspace Trust (ELGT) initiated a project to revitalize the existing play area in West Princes Street Gardens (WPSG), a premier park in Edinburgh with high visitor footfall. The project aimed to create an inclusive, innovative, and high-quality play space for toddlers, juniors, and teenagers.
The project aimed to transform the existing play area within a budget of £200,000. Key requirements included:
- Robust equipment: Metal equipment, with a variety of play values for all ages.
- Inclusive design: At least 25% of equipment should be DDA compliant and accommodation for children with a wide range of needs and abilities, complying with the Equalities Act. This included accessible swing seats, wheelchair accessible roundabout, musical play items and many low level play panels.
- Themed: In keeping with the historical surroundings, a castle theme was chosen with both a bespoke 9m high castle junior unit and a brightly coloured, bespoke castle themed toddler unit
- Site considerations: The extremely busy West Princes Street Gardens was small in footprint and extremely busy all throughout the year
The West Princes Street Gardens play area redevelopment is a successful example of how careful planning, innovative design, and stakeholder collaboration can transform a public space into a valuable community asset. The project's emphasis on inclusivity, sustainability, and quality has resulted in a play area that will be enjoyed for generations to come.
- Location: Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Year Completed: 2024
- Project Value: £200,000
