Case Study OurSpace @ Rec Park
Binghamton, NY
Playground video
Binghamton, NY Our Space @ Rec Park • 2021 Community ReBuild • Budget: $900K • Size: 20,000 sq ft • Surfacing: PIP Rubber
• Material: Recycled Plastic / Steel
After years of dedication and thousands of dollars raised by community volunteers, the OurSpace playground at historic Recreation Park in Binghamton, NY, opened in 2021. A smooth, flowing pathway welcomes visitors of all abilities, with ramps and inclusive play equipment designed for multi-generational exploration. This extraordinary playground celebrates history, accessibility, and imagination, incorporating elements inspired by local architecture, including the Lackawanna Train Station. Features such as the “Generations” swing, where adults and children can swing together, a wheelchair-accessible Liberty Swing, a sensory garden, and a natural play area with a rock climbing wall and slide ensure that play extends beyond age or ability limitations. Nestled within the 24-acre Recreation Park, which also boasts an antique carousel, pool, accessible bathrooms, sports fields, and tennis courts, OurSpace stands as a testament to inclusivity and the power of community.
3D Artists Sketch
OurSpace transformed a 4-acre section of Binghamton’s Recreation Park into an inclusive, multi-generational haven designed to welcome people of all ages, abilities, and needs. Whether it’s a child with Down syndrome exploring the play structures, a war veteran seeking a peaceful retreat, a family with young children making memories, or an elderly couple enjoying the serene surroundings, OurSpace offers something for everyone—
proving that play, connection, and community know no boundaries.
Topography
Accessible Treehouse
History By Design
The Broome County Courthouse , built in 1897, is a historic and massive 2+1⁄2- story structure built on a raised foundation and topped with an elegant copper dome with “Lady Justice” at the top. For the playground version, we utilized the raised foundation to create pathways underneath. We also spared no detail in the replication, from columns and cut-outs to the clock and colors. The local volunteers were dedicated to its perfection!
Original Bridge Drawing Circa1829
History By Design
The Chenango Bridge is a local landmark in Broome County, NY, connecting the towns of Fenton and Chenango. Initially built in 1831, the historic bridge has been rebuilt five times due to the extreme flooding of the Chenango River. In our playground version, we showcased the latest structure from 1957, which has a “river” pathway from blue rubber underneath to represent the river and double as an accessible pathway.
History By Design
Bringing Community to Play: Storefronts in Our Playground Designs serve multiple purposes: they connect children to their local environment, inspire imaginative play, and offer sponsorship opportunities for local businesses. In the Recreation Park design, we incorporated four unique storefronts—most with historical significance—including the Crowley Foods building (pictured here), the Press Building , the New City Hall , and the Security Mutual building. These elements not only celebrate the city's rich history but also create a vibrant and engaging play space where children can explore, learn, and dream.
History By Design
The Lackawanna Train Station , built in 1904, was active until the mid-1960s. Locals treasure it for its craftsmanship and history, making it a wonderful addition to the design - we added a historic Steam Engine Train too!
History By Design
As a tribute to Binghamton’s rich aviation history, we incorporated the Link Trainer into our playground design, celebrating the groundbreaking flight simulator developed by Ed Link in 1929. Originally created to teach pilots instrument flying safely, the "Blue Box" became an essential training tool during World War II, used by nearly every combatant nation. More than 500,000 U.S. pilots and countless others worldwide trained on Link simulators, shaping the course of aviation history. Recognized as a Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Link Trainer remains a testament to innovation, perseverance, and the impact of visionary ideas.
Custom Play Components
Component Highlights
“Wellness Parks for Seniors: Serious Play” Donald A. Rakow The Voice, New York State Recreation and Park Society, Winter 2016
PLAY. It’s that series of activities that a child delights in and uses to hone their motor skills, social abilities, and sense of self. But is play the sole domain of kids? Michael Cohen, longtime playground designer and member of the staff at Play by Design, doesn’t think so. Cohen was inspired to address the recreational needs of seniors after viewing a video of a playground for elders in Manchester, England. He was struck by the delight on the older residents’ faces, and immediately recognized a need that was not being met in this country. We build housing and community centers for seniors, so why do we ignore the value of outdoor exercise?
Researching the topic further, Cohen learned that the Chinese and other Asian societies have long addressed this need by providing outdoor gyms for elders in the communities where they live. Since the 1990’s, the concept has spread to a number of European countries and one site in British Columbia. But Cohen was frustrated by the lack of interest in the U.S. In response, Cohen has designed wellness parks that address two critical needs of older populations: exercise to remain healthy and limber and socializing to prevent isolation. His designs include adaptive exercise equipment, some of which he’s developed and some which is based on prototypes from Asia or Europe. He blends the built features with trees and other plantings to make the sites shady and attractive, while avoiding secluded corners that could feel insecure to seniors. Cohen’s vision “is a park or garden that is inviting. A place that has a serenity, lightheartedness about it.” As Cohen sees it, seniors enjoy being challenged by new workout modes, but must feel confident that they won’t be embarrassed by an apparatus they can’t control. He addresses this issue in two ways- by ensuring that pieces of equipment are low impact with minimal opportunities for failure, and by placing benches within sight of equipment, so bench sitters can see how easily peers master the gear. But what about those geriatric individuals with limited mobility or in wheelchairs? Cohen has incorporated game tables to accommodate wheelchairs, and exercise machines that can be accessed from a seated position. And by minimizing grade changes and avoiding steps, senior playgrounds can be made accessible to most individuals. or parks managers, designating a recreational area specifically for seniors can present challenges, and it isn’t Cohen’s intention to exclude
children from playing in them. But he has found that so called ‘multi- generational’ playgrounds tend to focus on the needs of kids to the exclusion of elders. Slides, see-saws, and traditional swings simply aren’t safe for older generations. And safety, certainly, is a major issue. While working out on equipment in a senior park can improve one’s balance and range of motion, special concern needs to be taken when individuals with cognitive impairments are present. Cohen regularly seeks the input and advice of gerontology experts, many of whom are members of the impressive board he’s built to guide him in this process. But he feels that persons with Alzheimer’s or similar conditions are most often accompanied by a caregiver and thus unlikely to harm themselves or wander away from the park. The goal is to get every senior outside, regardless of their physical or mental capacities. The process of getting Americans to awaken to the outdoor recreational needs of seniors has been a slow one, and Cohen is hopeful that the first of the wellness parks he’s designed will be constructed this coming spring. But simply by raising this neglected issue, he has demonstrated yet another way that our parks and recreational areas can provide for greater health and wellness throughout an individual’s lifespan.
time lapse build
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator