Layout and design of a children's playground using a modular approach

• Main Author: Goh, Sherly.
• Other Authors: Chen Chun-Hsien
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Mechanical engineering::Machine design and construction
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/40783
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The layouts of existing children’s playgrounds have seldom been planned based on systematic guiding rules. Therefore, the outlooks of the playgrounds have looked similarly irregular over the century. The purpose of this report is to implement a generic framework for generating layout of modular playgrounds and to offer an innovative solution for the outlook of indoor modular playgrounds, especially in land-constrained countries like Singapore. In this study, children’s playground is treated as a facility. Hence, an approach using a Facilities Planning method is proposed for layout generation of the playground. Facility Layout Applet (FLAP) is therefore utilized for this purpose, as it includes the consideration of the three main requirements in facility planning -- space, flow and activity relationships. Flow and activity relationship values are measured qualitatively between the equipments. These relationships are evaluated using a decision making tool called Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). AHP analyzes the connectivity between equipments according to the importance of the different criteria set. The obtained connectivity values are entered into FLAP to generate an optimal layout. An existing playground layout is then investigated and an improved layout is suggested using the proposed methodology. Furthermore, layout and design of indoor children’s playground are studied. The modularity of the design is then explored using universal joints which results in higher adaptability and upgradability than existing indoor playgrounds. In addition, the design offers a new experience and attitude towards children’s playgrounds where playground equipments are designed to be arranged and assembled by parents and children on their own.