Risskov School was extended with a building for the pupils from 0 to 2nd grade. All rooms in this building have access to a large outdoor playground slope connecting the existing school and the new extension to the adjacent football field. This hill, which connects the 1st floor and the ground floor is cut through by a terrace at ground floor level. It is made out of different sections with various uses and niches: At the same time a ramp, a playground and a place to stay, the slope changes from being a climbing web to becoming a slide, a boulder wall, a staircase, a tribune, an urban garden …

Emphasis has been put on making the hill a functionally diverse and aesthetically natural element. Materials used are wood, steel, netting and ecological composite for climbing rolls and jumping stubs. Artificial grass covers a built-up foundation in order to keep the hill green and avoiding it turning muddy or losing its shape in an often wet and cold Nordic climate. The open shapes combine play with places to stay and make the different uses flexible. The multifunctional design gives the children ample opportunities for both for physical activities as well as for hanging out next to each other.

The project addresses gender participation disparities by including settings that allow for different physical activity intensities as well as spaces for audiences. The playground slope has been conceived in collaboration with teachers and pedagogues to contain dense, accessible and inclusive activities attracting both girls and boys, groups and individuals, active and passive users.

Project name: Playground Slope Risskov School
Location: Vestre Strandallé 97, 8240 Risskov, Denmark
Client: Risskov Skole
Office name: MBYland
Website: www.mbyland.dk
Role of the office in the project: Landscape Architect
Landscape Architect/Designer: Mette Bruun Yde
Project team: Gitte Hansen, Bodil Veibaek, Marie Bruun Yde, Kristina Jørgensen, Kristian Mortensen.
Photography: Gitte Hansen

Drone photo: Kasper Hornbæk