Community-led design for Houghton Bay Play Area

The Haewai Houghton Valley community asked for input into the design of their new play area. The aim of the play area design was to:

• Provide a friendly and safe play environment for kids of all ages as well as a social space for families
• Reflect the local environment and stories of the past and future
• Be part of the long-term vision for the whole valley area, including a play trail connection between the play area and the school.

The play area design went through quite a journey, starting with an on-site play area design party for community input; the development of a design brief; and the involvement of a Māori designer, Darren Ward, who worked with the Houghton Valley School children to come up with artwork to integrate into the play area. The limitations of the budget did restrict what was achievable in the end, but the following elements were included:

• Children’s drawings etched onto wind-break panels
• A representation of the buried waterways underneath the play area in the surface matting design
• More natural timber and less plastic in the play area materials.

Much of what was important to the community focused on the surrounding area, which was outside the scope of the play area design. Some of these we hope can be added through local input. Ideas included:

• Spaces for socialising such as birthday parties and community gatherings;
• Shelter through raised earth bunds
• Shade and amenity from vegetation planting
• A Waharoa (entrance-way) and a better fence along the road edge
• Guardian pou representing Tāwhirimātea (God of Wind) and Tangaroa (God of Water)
• Signs telling our local Māori and European histories and highlighting our local flora and fauna
• A new name for the play area.