FORGE is a specialist in the design and delivery of custom play structures in communities across Australia. Regardless of size or complexity, we specialise in bringing bespoke and highly imaginative play structures to life in ways that are always true to the original creative vision—while also being structurally achievable within the project budget and, of course, safe for the children and families who use them. Our award-winning project portfolio includes play structures featuring custom nature-play, water-play, swings, tunnels, slides and climbing frames for children of all ages and abilities. All FORGE play solutions are custom designed based on the needs of our client. As a result, we do not specify off-the-shelf catalogue systems or designs.

Yes. All play structures FORGE helps to deliver are completely original. We work with our clients and their creative partners to realise fully custom play solutions, each hand-created to their specific objectives, vision and budget. Blending freedom of creative expression with deep structural rigour, the FORGE Methodology allows us to successfully deliver custom play structures of all sizes and intricacies.

Every child, and their family, deserves to enjoy the benefits of outdoor play. Accordingly, considering how to build in moments of inclusive and accessible play is part of the design process for every FORGE custom play structure. Far beyond simply meeting the minimum required standards, it’s about considering different play journeys for children of different ages and abilities and providing opportunities for every user to engage, explore and learn and develop their skills safely in their own way, at their own pace.

The FORGE Methodology is built upon a wholistic and highly collaborative approach that has delivered many award-winning play structures across Australia. From initial concept to final completion, our process seamlessly combines specialist in-house design and design verification, structural engineering, manufacturing methodology, risk mitigation and safety auditing, planning capability, pre-assembly, project management and construction expertise, all from one consistent project team.

Safety is the most fundamental consideration when designing and constructing custom playground structures. At FORGE our approach always balances delivering engaging and challenging moments of play with rigorous risk management strategies, utilising advanced computational modelling, materials testing and independent third-party safety auditors to create stimulating play environments that support exploratory behaviour while maintaining community safety. Our experienced design team is well versed in all national safety standards, accessibility requirements and environmental performance criteria. FORGE custom play structures exceed minimum compliance and safety requirements.

There are few rules, other than ensuring that all materials used in the delivery of play structures are safe for children and fit-for-purpose, typically the materials specified will depend on a range of factors including the overall creative vision, structural scale, location, site conditions, expected usage volume and budget. While structural steel is frequently used for the support frames of FORGE play structures, we believe strongly in the use of sustainable materials such as locally-sourced Class 1 Australian hardwood timber for cladding wherever possible, providing strong links to the surrounding environment while also adding textural and natural finishes. Some of our most popular play projects have also featured the heavy use of recycled and repurposed materials sourced from the surrounding site and local community.

Absolutely. The most successful custom play structures often take very direct design and material cues from their site and local surroundings. Slopes, tree lines, soil conditions, proximity to creeks, rivers and nature reserves, even access points for work crews can have an important influence on custom play structures. Accordingly they’re factors we consider carefully during the design process, overlayed with your overall creative vision and purpose.

Inclusive design sits at the heart of the FORGE approach to custom play structures. It’s about providing safe, stimulating and accessible moments of play for children of all ages and abilities. Central to achieving this is understanding all of the different groups who will be using the play structure, and also how they will be using it, from the earliest stages of the design process. This ensures safe and seamless play journeys for all users, with clever use of structural elements to provide easy access and amongst other things as required.

Yes they can. But as always the key to achieving this successfully is considering what the future stages of development might require from the very outset of the project, and then making design decisions accordingly. By pre-empting factors such as space utilisation, connection points and even site access limitations, the result is a future-proofed play structure that serves the community needs now—and can also be more easily upgraded in years to come while minimising disruptions, compromises and cost.

Each year FORGE designs and builds custom play structures in communities across Australia. With dedicated national pre-assembly facilities and expert local project delivery teams based in around Australia, we work extensively with landscape architects, councils and property developers across metropolitan and regional areas of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, the ACT, Western Australia and South Australia.

FORGE has considerable experience in delivering inclusive play structures and spaces in remote, hard-to-access and environmentally-sensitive locations. Our portfolio includes award-winning custom Play projects in locations such as Cooroy and Dalby in south-east Queensland, as well as multiple sites across the urban fringes of Melbourne, Geelong and Canberra in ACT.

Site conditions play a significant role in the design of any custom play structure—particularly in terms of maximising design life, access and user safety. The site and surrounding area will typically have a very direct influence on the overall type of play structure recommended and can influence everything from section lengths and heights, footings, installation methodology, material selection and the provision of adequate shade. It’s essential that every play structure is safe and fit-for-purpose.

Yes, we can. In fact, FORGE specialises in delivering custom play structures in hard-to-access and sensitive locations. Environmental, cultural and heritage factors are always taken into account from the very beginning of the design development process, shaping solutions that are site-specific and meet all necessary environmental management plans and community requirements. This includes using designs and materials that have minimal, if any, need for heavy equipment during construction and installation.

The FORGE Methodology is built upon ongoing collaboration. In fact, we find the closer we work with landscape architects, designers and councils on custom play projects the better—especially in the critical early design stages of the project. By partnering up-front with all key stakeholders and delivery experts we can collaboratively identify the very best solution for your brief, long before you need to commit to a construction contract. The result is almost always a higher quality and more cost effective project outcome.

Design and material selection is absolutely critical in maximising the design life of any custom play structure. It can also minimise ongoing maintenance requirements for years to come. Accordingly, these decisions need to be guided by achieving the desired creative vision in way that is fit-for-purpose for the site and budget today—while also considering the future demands likely to be placed on the community and project stakeholders.

Yes. Guided by the FORGE Methodology we have successfully delivered numerous large-scale, structurally-complex and creatively-intricate custom play projects—including structures that are the creative centrepieces in some of Australia’s most awarded public playgrounds, soaring up to 15 metres high.

Lifespan can vary significantly between projects and is dependant on many factors. These include the location, size, weather and soil conditions, construction materials, usage volume, the style of structure chosen and the level ongoing maintenance able to be provided. At FORGE we work closely with clients and project partners to maximise the design life of every custom play structure we deliver and offer industry-leading structural guarantees to provide peace of mind for all stakeholders for years to come.

Right across Australia, FORGE custom play structures are inclusive social hubs that unlock the outdoors and bring families and communities closer together every day. Landmark places to meet, connect, celebrate and explore they are far more than simple play installations. Rather they are sophisticated community focal points that promote personal development, physical wellbeing and social interaction, enhancing urban liveability and connectivity as they do it.