The Hills International College

Everything Outside was tasked by The Hills International College to create an adventure playground for 150 primary students in a 600m² space. The playground needed to have a natural look and replace a non-compliant playground while being low maintenance.

The Challenge

The challenge was to create a natural-looking playground with minimal maintenance requirements that would cater to the adventure, play, and learning needs of 150 students.

The Solution

To maximize the space, we built up rather than out. The playground features four adventure towers connected by bridges, pommel scramble nets, spider nets, and slides, offering a variety of play options for maximum enjoyment. The curving slides include translucent panels for supervision and visibility, allowing children to slide while seeing their friends around them. Additionally, we incorporated a climbing wall with a nature mural.

An outdoor learning pod with an adjacent amphitheatre was included to facilitate learning, imaginative play, and use during recess and lunchtime. An auditory zone with a dedicated creative music area featuring a vertical xylophone and drums sits adjacent bushland.

To achieve a natural play feel and ensure low maintenance, Everything Outside used and composite materials. The playground’s poles, roofs, floors, and balustrades were designed in natural earthy colours. Nature-style climbing walls and artificial grass, which looks and feels like real turf but is maintenance-free, were added to soften the towers. The shingled-style roof was designed to mimic tropical architecture.

Amazing Outcome

The new playground at The Hills International College has been a brilliant addition. The adventure towers, bridges, and variety of play structures have become a hub of activity, promoting physical activity and social interaction among the students. The translucent panels on the slides not only enhance safety by allowing better supervision but also add to the children’s excitement as they can see their friends while playing.

The climbing wall with the nature mural has been particularly popular, encouraging physical challenges and imaginative play. The outdoor learning pod and amphitheatre have provided versatile spaces for both formal learning and creative play, enriching the students’ daily school experience.

The dedicated creative music area has inspired many young musicians and added a unique auditory dimension to the playground. Using steel and composite materials, along with artificial grass, has ensured the playground is durable and low-maintenance, fulfilling the school’s requirements.

Overall, the playground has significantly enhanced the students’ play and learning environment, making it a vibrant and integral part of their school life.