Xisui Design uses 3D-printed concrete to create organic-looking playscape for Chinese park
A series of 3D-printed concrete boulders create bridges, tunnels and planters at Boulder Park, a playground in Shandong province, China, designed by Xisui Design.
The activity spaces for all ages sit within a wider, 13,000-square-metre community space in Jinang, which contains several zones of landscaped areas, lawns and playgrounds.
Within the southern section of this park, Shanghai-based Xisui Design created three distinct areas – a water park, boulder playground and woodland park – that combine natural elements such as rocks and logs with cave-like play structures in 3D printed concrete.
"By blending natural materials with modern technology, we aimed to create an immersive space that sparks children's curiosity and supports physical development," design director Hu Yihao told Dezeen.
"In this design, boulders transcend mere decorative elements to become organic components of play functions."
"Those in the sandpit are transformed into climbing structures, stones in the stream form the core of water play installations, and the most innovative rocky cave exploration spaces are realised through advanced 3D concrete printing technology," he added.
Connected by winding paths, the central area of the park contains the large 3D printed boulders, which sit atop an orange surface interspersed with large rocks, timber benches, a sand pit and swings.
For the largest printed structure, a bridge-like form creates slides above and a cave-like shelter beneath, while opposite, smaller boulders incorporate crawling tunnels for children and metal ear and speaking trumpets.
The 3D-printed elements were digitally designed before being constructed by robotic arms that extrude liquid concrete in layers, giving the boulders their distinctive contoured appearance.
According to Hu, the ability of 3D-printed concrete to economically create durable and organic shapes makes it an "ideal choice" for playscapes.
"In landscape projects, outdoor durability, the ability to achieve organic shapes, ease of construction and installation, and cost savings in labour are the primary considerations," he explained.
"3D-printing technology, with its significant advantages in these aspects, has become an ideal choice for this purpose."
"Furthermore, all 3D-printed landscape installations are designed with smooth edges and rounded corners to ensure that there are no sharp or hazardous points that could cause injuries," he added.
To the west of the boulder playground, a small water park contains interactive water features, while to the west, the forest park contains large rocks, logs and stumps.
Xisui Design previously created a series of similarly organic forms for the Red Dunes playground in Guangzhou, which used a concrete shell to create an undulating landscape with cave-like spaces beneath.
It has also designed an eggshell-formed metal pavilion that functions as a sunken resting space in a pond in China.
The photography is by Hu Yihao and Zhou Sheng.
The post Xisui Design uses 3D-printed concrete to create organic-looking playscape for Chinese park appeared first on Dezeen.