The attractivisation of the Wolfsburg city centre
Plug and play
Play containers are an increasingly popular way to create a DIN-certified, high-quality and versatile range of play options in a short time and with little effort.
The starting point of this project was the city of Wolfsburg’s desire for “more people to spend more time in the Wolfsburg city centre”. In order to increase the quality and the length of stay, additional play, rest and recreation zones should be created at suitable locations – initially temporarily.
In order to offer the younger generation and their parents further incentives in the city centre and to complement the existing play offers in a targeted manner, a mobile ensemble of playground equipment became the project’s main attraction.
These pieces of playground equipment consist of overseas containers made from steel which, thanks to built-ins made from durable robinia wood, stainless steel, plexiglass and nets, as well as creative handicraft design, are transformed into game containers with openings of different sizes in the roof and walls, slides, attachments and superstructures.
With play containers, DIN-certified, high-quality and versatile play offers can be created in a short time and with little effort – and not only for schools or kindergartens, but also for public spaces.
The planner and manufacturer of the play containers is the company Kukuk Box from Stuttgart.
Client
City of Wolfsburg
Play containers
KuKuk Box GmbH
Rosenwiesstraße 17
D – 70567 Stuttgart
With the play containers and the additional greenery, it’s not only the quality of stay in the city centre which was increased, but the microclimate was also improved.
All the measures to increase the quality of stay in the inner city were accompanied by mobile greenery. Depending on the location and type of use, planters with trees, shrubs or planting columns were combined with the seating and play offers. The selection of plants also takes climate change and the desire for bee and insect friendliness into account.
Several small locations have been created which invite all age groups to play and get together. With the additional greenery, it’s not only the quality of stay in the city centre which was increased, but the microclimate was also improved.
The project was financially supported by the European Union. The total cost was 220,000 euros. The client was the Green Division of the city of Wolfsburg.
Address
Porschestraße
D – 38440 Wolfsburg
Opening
2021
For the installation of a game container in public space, a free, paved area is sufficient – but the installation can also be done quickly on grass or in a sandy area.
In the simplest case, a free, paved area is sufficient for setting up a game container in a public space – for example in a pedestrian zone, on a market square or in a schoolyard. The game containers are designed in such a way that a fall protection floor according to DIN is only required for the slide run.
Prefabricated rubber fall protection elements are supplied and placed together on site, connected to each other and bordered by a wooden frame. The slide is then simply placed on the pedestal or anchored in it. In this way, the play device can be set up and made ready for use in one day.
If the play container is intended to be set up on grass or in a sandy area, a 30 cm-thick gravel support layer the size of the container set-up area first has to be created. In this version, the slide feet are set up in a concrete foundation. The subsequent construction of the play container then also only takes one day. What takes the most time is the hardening of the concrete.
Photos
Stadt Wolfsburg
KuKuk Box
Text
Johannes Bühlbecker
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Meanwhile, the city of Wolfsburg has 13 play containers in different sizes and for variable installation sites.
The cooperation between the city of Wolfsburg and the company KuKuk began in 2016. The first play container was intended to make the outdoor areas of residential buildings more attractive for refugees.
Since the length of the measure was unclear, the KuKuk Box was a very easy choice. It consists of modules and does not require any foundations. Therefore, it can be assembled and disassembled very quickly and transported to the next place of use.
The play boxes have proven to be a suitable solution for special requirements.
In the meantime, the city of Wolfsburg has 13 play containers in different sizes and for changing parking spaces in schoolyards, daycare areas and public playgrounds throughout the city.
They are not only used as an interim solution for conversions and relocations, but also as seasonal play offers for places which are not usually playgrounds – such as the shopping area in the Wolfsburg city centre.
The play containers are standardised, robust and inexpensive.
They are also ideally suited for permanent use as a public play opportunity, because they are versatile, flexible, inexpensive, easy to care for and sustainable.
A KuKuk box creates spaces and surfaces for climbing, frolicking, playing, sliding on the one hand, and a frame with protected and more private areas on the other.
The frame is formed by the containers; through the installations and extensions a new land of adventure is created from it again and again.
No matter where.
