LASN is a photographically oriented, professional journal featuring topics of concern and state-of-the-art projects designed or influenced by registered Landscape Architects.
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Top Vertical chimes, a metallophone, and freestanding tubes crafted into colorfully-capped drums (Freenotes Harmony Park) are highlights of the 'sound grove,' where kids can bash away to their heart's content. In the background, the 60-foot long customized pedestrian bridge (GatorBridge) hangs over a walkway. Bottom Riders on the Super S-curved Chute (KLA/Columbia Cascade) wind their way down 30 feet of hillside on one 53-foot- long piece of custom-built stainless steel. Safety surfacing and naturalistic boulders (Syar) help children who don't want to take the stairs climb back up the hill for another ride. PHOTO CREDITS: KLA One of the flagship features is a narrow and sinuous 40-foot-long 'Super Slide' that stretches down the hillside and offers great panoramic views of the cityscape. The slide is the "high point" of the playground, and provides an elevation change of nearly 30 feet. Anyone that climbs up the boulders or rubber surfacing area to the entrance is in for a wild ride. Mounds of Fun The focal point of the main level of the play area is a 10-foot-tall raised play mound. The top of the mound can be reached via an accessible sidewalk, an elevated bridge or climbing nets. At one end of the bridge, near the stairs to the Super Slide, is seating that overlooks the play environment for parents and supervisors. Boulders and vegetation were added to the backside of the mound to blend the mound with 44 Landscape Architect and Specifier News its surrounding environment. A customized 60-foot-long pedestrian bridge provides an accessible route to the top of the mound for persons with mobility impairments to join the play at a high elevation. The bridge provides a challenge as children walk from the lookout area over to the top of the raised mound. After the kids conquer the mound, a 30-foot-long and 6-foot-wide stainless steel "mound slide" occupies another area, and is large enough for friends or entire families to slide down together. Steps also provide easy access back to the top for those disinclined to climb. Climb, Any Way Possible The combination of climbing options on the play mound and at the playground provide graduated levels of challenge, so that climbers of all experience and ability levels can have fun.