Overlooking Botany Bay, Sir Joseph Banks Park was the site of Australia’s first zoological gardens....
- Client
- City of Canterbury Bankstown
- Project Partners
- ASPECT Studio (design/landscape architect) and Regal Innovations
- State
- New South Wales
Banksia-inspired play in the heart of Bankstown.
Paul Keating Park is located in the heart of Bankstown in south-western Sydney. A new 20-year masterplan for the Park was adopted by Council in December 2020 and a key pillar was the creation of a bespoke community playground, today known as the Ian Stromborg Play Space.
After being appointed as the successful tenderer, Regal Innovations embarked on a design finalisation process involving ASPECT Studios and FORGE (formerly Fleetwood Urban). This included the hero play experience – an interconnected series of ‘Banksia Pod’ play structures, slides and nature play elements ranging from 4-6 metres high.
Having developed indicative budgets and documentation for the original tender, FORGE was subsequently engaged to bring the approved designs to life, overseeing the design detailing, fabrication and installation stages of the project. Ian Stromborg Play Space officially opened in July 2024.
Our involvement.
FORGE’s initial involvement at Paul Keating Park was to prepare construction budgets and documentation to be included in the original tender, based on a preliminary designs developed by another supplier.
Once the project was awarded to Regal Innovations by the City of Canterbury Bankstown, FORGE worked closely with the landscape architect, ASPECT Studios, to develop and detail the chosen design vision in preparation for fabrication, pre-assembly and installation. This included an extensive period of pre-construction and ongoing input from independent play auditors to ensure the safety and buildability of all structural elements.
Working under Regal Innovations, FORGE then led the on-site installation of the approved play structures with the Ian Stromborg Play Space officially opening to the Bankstown community in July 2024.
Design Challenge
Creatively, the ‘Banksia Pod’ play vision from ASPECT Studios was stunning - but it was also highly complex to realise. Delivering the concept on budget whilst meeting all of the necessary Australian Standards for play structures required many hours of painstaking design detailing and collaboration between all of the stakeholders. Considerable thought also went into optimising flow through the different play elements within the space, whilst maximising the unique moments of play so children of all ages and abilities were able to enjoy the final structures.
Construction Challenge
Moving into the delivery phase, many of biggest challenges related to site access for crews, materials and contractors. Located in the bustling heart of the Bankstown town centre, careful planning was required to minimise community disruptions whilst still remaining on program - something that included multiple night deliveries and crane lifts. Further complicating access during installation, the site also had well establish tree canopies that needed to be safely navigated and protected. The design complexity of the custom structures presented additional delivery challenges, demanding meticulous pre-assembly and attention to detail to ensure a smooth, safe and efficient install on-site.
Innovations
Inspired by the wider botanical vision for Ian Stromborg Play Space, a series of custom hardwood timber ‘seed pods’ were personally hand-sculpted by FORGE Creative and Technical Lead, Mark Jol.
Features
- 1 x 6.3m ‘Banksia Pod’ main play tower
- 2 x 4.6m interconnected play platforms with a bridge
- 1 x 4.9m enclosed spiral slide
- Internal climbing nets with rubber platforms
- Rubber pommels
- Talk tubes
- Play telescope
- Hand-crafted timber Banksia ‘seeds’
Materials
- Mild steel
- Coreten steel (seed pods)
- Spotted Gum (decking & battens)
- Stainless steel (slide)
- Stainless steel wire mesh
- Steel core play rope
- Fibre reinforced rubber
Safety & Risk Considerations
Large and complex to deliver, it was essential to balance the structural integrity and play safety of all elements within Ian Stromborg Play Space. In addition to detailed on-site safety planning and lift studies, an independent play certifier was engaged at regular intervals during both the design and installation phases.
Sustainability Considerations
All timbers used for the Ian Stromborg Play Space are Class 1 Australian Hardwood, primality Spotted Gum, sourced from sustainably-grown forests.
