PlayGraph

Data-driven design

PlayGraph is a playground that reproduce the graphic showing the increase of world temperature in the last 160 years (sources: IPCC). The path ends with a slideway that represents the possible required reduction of global temperature.

Diagram 3d

Play consciounsly

The path represents metaphorically human challenges in facing climate changes and find a way to save the planet. The first part of the playground in an uphill path, by climbing over it people can understand their own fatigue comparing to the effort of Planet Earth in facing the climate crisis. A ludic approach to sustainability issue aim to inspire to make daily actions with a positive approach, instead of  ordinary sustainability-as-privation conception.

Exploded axonometric

Mutualistic symbiosis

Regarding to Blue Economy concept, architecture imitates natural processes, in this case integrating micro-algae as a key substance to create a symbiosys within the urban environment. Despite accounting for less than 1% of the Earth’s total biomass, micro-algae drive the biological pump, which maintains our atmosphere and the carbon balance.

Micro-algae have a key function as a catalyzer of urban inputs by monitoring the environment and creating new ecosystemic loops; they are exceptional photosynthetic machines containing nutrients fundamental for human body and absorbing CO2 from the urban atmosphere ten times more effectively than large trees.

PlayGraph contains a low-cost algal photobioreactor that absorbs urban inputs activating two different loops: C02 absorption to release oxygen in the air; garden water puryfication to spread out new vital nutrients for the ground.

Urban Oasis vs French Garden

Instead of impose to nature an artificial order, the adaptive playground fits between the existing spaces, generating new ecosystemic loops. PlayGraph represent a prototype for a public space of a symbiotic city

The project promote a systemic solution exploring the possibilities of turning the public space into a network of relationships and information, making visible the immaterial relations between nature, space and human beings.

Context and perception

The project provide a soft re-design of the paving, enlarging the gardens and creating a new whole “urban oasis” in the middle of the square in which the playground appear as sharp sign, clearly perceivable  from different poin of views.

The strategic position of the installation enable the graph’s message to be clearly seen and understood from the Maison de l’Arcihtecture. From the Gare de l’Este side the installation calls for the engagement fluxes of citizens coming from station Gare de l’Este.

The playground is conceived as a public space open to be explored and used by multiple users in many different ways: a challenging sporty path, a variable bench for relax, a sideway for kids, etc.

The project reifies the potentials given by multiple fruitions of the square, turning it from a crossing point into an urban scape.

Structure and materials

The playground is a wooden structure that extends for a length of 18 meters, 2,30 meters in width, reaching a hight of 3 meters in the highest point. The structure is divided in three parts and is made by longitudinal slabs crossed by shorter panels, both of 7,5 cm in thickness (three layers of 2,5 cm for each layer).

The walking surface consists of a “sandwich pack” of joists covered by wooden boards of 2,5 cm in thickness, except the slideway area that contains the bioreactors translucent rectangular containers made by plexiglass, covered by a a thin smooth protection coat.

Economic feasibility
The installation, due to its modularity, constructive layout and use of low cost materials, is effective in terms of economic feasibility and it could be easily replicable.

Axonometric view

project info