| Fra
nedslidt legeplads til grøn oase på stenbroen |
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Forslaget til renoveringen af Murergårdens legeplads
blev udarbejdet af en arbejdsgruppe under ledelse af landskabsarkitekt
Helle Nebelong på baggrund af en temadag om legepladser,
som det daværende Socialdirektorat holdt i november
1996 for institutionslederne i Københavns Kommune.
Den integrerede institutionen Murergården har godt 60 vuggestue- og børnehavebørn
og omkring 100 børn i alderen 7-14 år i fritidshjemmet.
Legepladsen var tidligere opdelt i to selvstændige legepladser – én
for de yngste børn og én for de ældste. Et terrænspring
på knap 2 meter og et hegn adskilte de to legepladser.
Temadagen viste, at der var et generelt ønske om mere natur på legepladsen
i form af varieret beplantning og områder med sand, vand, klatrestammer,
bearbejdet terræn og mere løse naturmaterialer som grus, perlesten,
træstød o. lign.
Institutionen Murergården havde selv mange konkrete ønsker til,
hvordan legepladsen skulle indrettes. Først og fremmest skulle der være
mere naturindhold og masser af udfordringer, som kan styrke børns motoriske
færdigheder.
Legepladsens idémæssige udgangspunkt er et
oaselignende centrum med organisk formede plantninger, der
spiller godt op til de omgivende bygningers firkantede massiver.
Muregården maj 2005 |
Udformningen
giver børnene mere naturmæssigt
nuancerede udfoldelsesmuligheder. Der er mulighed for at
lege med jord, grus, perlesten, sand, vand og træ.
Der er muligheder for, at børnene kan trække
sig tilbage i mindre grupper og finde nicher og kroge, hvor
de kan lege uforstyrret, mens andre børn måske
leger mere vildt og pladskrævende.
Niveauerne mellem den nuværende øvre og nedre
legeplads er forbundet af et terrasseret skråningsanlæg,
hvor de enkelte trin er dekoreret med forskellige finere
og grovere belægningssten.
Nedenfor skråningen breder sig et stort, organisk formet område.
Det er kantet af forskellige palisade- og stammestykker og sten, som alt sammen
er godt at balancere på. Der er også klatrestammer.
Den lille asfalterede soppesø fyldes om sommeren af vand fra brandslangen,
som placeres øverst i vandrenden på legepladsens øverste
terrasse. Søen er omsluttet af pilekrat, hvorfra der kan plukkes pilegrene.
English summary:
The Integrated Institution Murergården på Nørrebro
The old playground from the 1970's was completely run down
and was to be renovated in 1996. The social authorities decided
to hold a theme day on playgrounds for the leaders of institutions
for children in Copenhagen. Workshops were held, among other
things, where the people working in the institutions should
put forward their ideas for the ”perfect” playground. It
was stressed right from the start, that there would not be
the usual economic speculation or discussions about safety
in the playground. On the contrary, it should be imagination
alone, supported by pedagogical arguments, which would decide
the final suggestion for a playground.
Helle Nebelong had the job to collate the many suggestions and, on the basis
of these, design a new playground for Murergården.
The institution has 64 children aged 0-6 and 100 children
aged 7-14. The play area is only 1.050 m2. It was split up
earlier into two separate playgrounds. There was a fence
between them and a difference in level of at least 2 m.
Large blocks of flats surround the playground. It is used outside opening times
by the local children and young people and is therefore subject to a lot of
wear and tear.
The theme day confirmed a general wish for more nature in
the playground and a lot of possibilities for the children
to do physical training.
Apart from this the playground should be less open, that
is laid out with many different spaces and hidden caves,
where the children can ”get away” and play in peace without
being watched over by adults.
There were requests for different surfaces, e.g. asphalt for cycling, roller-skating
and other forms of self-transport, for ball games and as a king of block for
drawing or hopscotch. There should also be sand, tiles, paths and steps and
different uneven stones, soft forest floor, wood chips and gravel. Bridges
would also be good, both bridges over canals and hanging bridges over ditches.
For once the majority of employees could agree that they would like water in
the playground. The general consensus is often otherwise, that water is far
too dangerous because you can drown in it. In the ”perfect” playground, however,
there should be water steps, paddling pools, canals and an outdoor shower spray,
where the muddy children could be rinsed off.
When we started there were some big willow trees, but there should also be
fruit bushes, a willow copse and a lot of flowers.
They did not want traditional play equipment, but they got a slide anyway,
plus a couple of play houses, which were built on the site, so that the children
could watch and be part of it.
The result was a little oasis with organically shaped planting,
which complemented the massive surfaces of the surrounding
buildings. The largest area of the playground is for the
use of all the children, but it is possible to close off
a little area for the nursery children.
The higher and lower levels have been connected by a terraced
slope, which has become a central feature in the playground.
At the bottom of the slope is a wide, organically formed space. This is bordered
by bits of palisade and tree stumps and stones, which are all good to balance
on. There is one tree trunk in the sand for climbing.
The little paddling pool is asphalted and is connected to
a channel and spring on the upper part of the playground.
In the summer a fire-hose is used to fill the steps with
water, which falls down to the paddling pool. It takes a
couple of hours to fill it. The water is then turned off
and allowed to stay in the pool until it is emptied in the
evening. The pool is encircled by a willow copse, where willow
stems can be picked, for use in plaiting smaller fences,
basket weaving etc. Butterfly bushes have been planted and
perennial flowers, which attract butterflies and other insects.
The total cost of construction was 750.000 DKr.
At the beginning there were many reservations about the
playground. Parents said that the playground was dangerous
with all the big stones. The employees of the institution
said it was just too boring.
The playground has now been in existence for almost ten years. The parents
now say, that the children are happier now when they come home. The leader
of the institution says that there are fewer conflicts in the playground. They
are really happy with the playground, especially with the water. A constructive
debate has arisen between parents and employees in the institution about how
far one can protect a child and try to prevent him from coming to harm.
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