Architect and play consultant Natalia Krysiak thinks Sydney should become “the most playful city in the world”.
This would involve “shared public play opportunities”. Think council libraries building “a mini theatre … to create opportunities for acting out the books” and play-based gardening programs. It could even mean “games [and] puzzles … implemented in our public spaces,” such as bus stops and pedestrianised streets.
“Play is often seen as quite a frivolous sort of behaviour, something that we observe only in children,” Krysiak said. But, she said, play “really promotes physical activity, both in children and adults … we also know that it’s very good for our mental health.”
Play also combines “people of different ages, different socioeconomic backgrounds, different cultural backgrounds,” she said, “coming together to create … social connections”. This, Krysiak said, fosters social cohesion and innovation.
Krysiak has a three-point plan. First, devising a “play strategy” encompassing Sydney and its local governments and community groups. Second, “a few pilot play districts within the city” to create community-specific exemplars. Third is “creating a playful city toolkit – a sort of pre-approved toolkit of things that communities could do to improve their streets and their public spaces.”
Krysiak pointed to Barcelona as an example of a playful city. There, she said, intergenerational play spaces on street corners incorporate chess sets, comfortable seating, umbrellas, community gardens and playgrounds.
स्रोत: Brisbanetimes Com Au
