Anansi Playground Building

Anansi Playground Building
Courtesy of Mulders vandenBerk Architecten

ANANSI PLAYGROUND BUILDING

Mulders vandenBerk Architecten

PROJECT YEAR
2009

LOCATION
Utrecht, The Netherlands

CATEGORY
Kindergarten

Text description provided by architect.

Mulders vandenBerk Architecten of Amsterdam designed this playground building in a park in Utrecht, the Netherlands, with a Corian façade engraved with images of fairytales from around the world.

Anansi Playground Building
Courtesy of Mulders vandenBerk Architecten
Anansi Playground Building
© Wouter van der Sar

The idea of the building is to excite and stimulate curiosity and creativity of the children.

The pavilion splits the playground in two. One side is used by teenagers, the other by young children.

The interior is divided into three separate playrooms featuring bright colors, simple furniture and elements to interact with.

Anansi Playground Building
© Wouter van der Sar
Anansi Playground Building
© Wouter van der Sar
Anansi Playground Building
Courtesy of Mulders vandenBerk Architecten

Each room is related to an individual facade and offers a specific orientation to its context.

This combined with a unique "wallpaper" gives a particular identity to each room. The design invites children to play, to discover and invent games.

Anansi Playground Building
Courtesy of Mulders vandenBerk Architecten
Anansi Playground Building
© Wim Hanenberg

The exterior of the building is the opposite of the 'active' playground with Its many climbing frames and slides. The building is a calm oasis in the playground. The façade is a large white Corian surface with milled jagged lines.

At first sight there are only lines. A second view reveals decorative characters; fairy tales from around the world. 

Anansi Playground Building
© Wim Hanenberg
Anansi Playground Building
© Wim Hanenberg

Graphic design studio Design Arbeid selected together with the neighborhood children the various fairy tales.

The graphic design is cnc-milled out of the façade to stimulate the senses and the imagination.

Anansi Playground Building
Courtesy of Mulders vandenBerk Architecten
Anansi Playground Building
© Wim Hanenberg


Anansi Playground Building
Concept diagram
Anansi Playground Building
Facade graphic detail
Anansi Playground Building
Fairytales drawings


Anansi Playground Building
Floor plans
Anansi Playground Building
Elevation