Playground prototype for
public schools in Cayey and Gurabo

In play everything is possible, as long as safety recommendations applicable to this type of project are followed (the United States Department of Education publishes a manual of design instructions with detailed guidelines). More than a playground for children, we submit a proposal that enables us to recover the capacity of playing with children.

The word iocare , from the Latin verb to play, is the name of the most recent playground designed by Dhara Rivera. The artist took her bearings from two coordinates: the educational concept of elementary public schools in Puerto Rico, and their student population.

The biological metaphor of organic growth of living organisms is used as a connecting thread. This image adds coherence to the playground, whose objects evoke one-cell organisms, atomic forms, filaments, complex organisms, tissues or colonies of microorganisms. In this educational environment, the artist uses forms and structures related to primary education subjects and disciplines. The ultimate goal is to stimulate in children the love of learning while playing. The activities, and the use and lay-out of the modules are adaptable for different ages. In functional terms, the design takes into account the diversity of spaces available in elementary schools. Thus, the set of games is versatile, offering clients the possibility of choosing their favorite pieces to generate the lay-out best adapted to the needs of their schools and students.