Grand Park Children’s Playground
200 North Grand Avenue
Los Angeles
Designer: Rios Clementi Hale Studios

Los Angeles’ Grand Park, completed in 2012, has been a huge hit with kids thanks largely to its interactive “splash pad” at the Arthur J. Will Memorial Fountain. Now the park offers a powerful new feature for youngsters: the 3,500-square-foot “fanciful forest” playground, designed by Rios Clementi Hale Studios.

Intended for children up to 12 years old, the “forest” is highlighted by a 20-foot-tall, three-tiered tree house made of Brazilian hardwood and structural steel painted lime-green. Children make their way down via a 12-foot-long tube slide or a 4-foot roller slide. At its base, an undulating soft play surface is littered with vibrant spots, inspired by the experience of playing in mounds of colorful leaves. Large berms are fitted with rock-climbing handles and tunnels, while sycamore trees are planted intermittently, providing shade and a touch of actual forest. A bright, leaf-shaped fence at the entrance further emphasizes the park’s autumn motif.