Playspace

Modular play modules

Play is an important element of children's lives and it is extremely important to provide them with safe and interesting places to play. In this project, I explored the indoor spaces or corners, that are dedicated to play.

Through research I found that many indoor play spaces are very generic, made out of materials, that are not sustainable, are often uncoordinated, unappealing, and the main problem is that there aren't enough (in Slovenia), or are very concentrated in the capital city Ljubljana, and the surrounding area.

In my BA thesis I wanted to develop and design an indoor play space system that could be placed wherever the space would allow us to do so. I was designing with the idea of modularity in mind to be able to create different variations of the play space system.

Design Starting Points

In my design, I set out to differentiate the product in the market. I would achieve this by:

- including services such as personalization, add-ons/additional purchases, exchange, and rental for a specific period.

- using more natural materials, with a thoughtful selection of colours and textures.

- modularity.

Market

Primarily due to space constraints, I decided to look for solutions using a modular system, which I also defined in the design starting points. Modular solutions would offer the possibility of personalizing the component modules according to preferences and available space.

For sustainability and economic aspects, I wanted to include services:

- Possibility of add-ons/Additional Purchases: extending the product's lifespan.

- Repairs: returning to the manufacturer or service department instead of disposal.

- Exchanges: when one "theme module" is no longer desired, it can be exchanged for another, keeping the product interesting for a longer time.

Design Inspiration

Due to space constraints, I sought ideas using biomimetics, specifically the maximum utilization of space in nature. The best form is the honeycomb, where individual hexagons form a solid structure that maximizes space utilization. This shape also allows for easy assembly and vertical expansion.