A new adventure playground building for a popular north-London children’s venue has been completed for Islington Council and site operator, Islington Play Association. Designed by Paper House Project, with CW Chelsea the main contractor, a JCT Intermediate Building Contract with contractor’s design was used to get the games back up and running.
Martin Luther King Adventure Playground (MLK) has been at its current site since 1968, when its construction was partly funded by a grant from the Martin Luther King Foundation, and it was named after the famous civil rights activist. Since 2013 MLK has been run by Islington Play Association (IPA), a not-for-profit organization that works to improve children’s lives and opportunities through free play.
Despite being a popular location, by 2018 the site’s building had become unsafe and was demolished, leaving local children and families without any shared play facilities.
Architect Paper House Project, along with IPA and Islington Council, recognized an opportunity create a more flexible and welcoming replacement building with greater potential to facilitate improving children’s lives through play. A consultation process was devised with the local community, including play workers, local residents, ward councillors, and most importantly, local school children. The consultation process was a challenge due to Covid-19 restrictions, but was adapted to take into account personal circumstances, digital literacy, and internet access. Socially distanced model-making workshops, and introductory workshops on low energy buildings and colour theory were organized, as well as activity packs sent out to local schools. Several elements of the finished building resulted from this collaborative process, fostering a greater sense of ownership amongst the building’s users.
Simple, bright, and open, the new building is organized around a central play space. It has a flexible layout that supports a range of activities. Safeguarding is prioritized by ensuring that views across indoor and outdoor areas are clear. A covered terrace wraps the entire building offering a transition between the indoor and outdoor spaces, increasing play opportunities and providing space for outdoor cooking and picnics. From the terrace the toilets and kitchen can be securely accessed, even when the main building is closed. Fully accessible, the building can cater to a wide range of user groups and ages.
Islington Council is committed to the Borough becoming net-zero by 2030, and the building design and materials selected reflect this aim. Meeting BREEAM Excellent standards, the building’s highly insulated envelope, solar PVs, and air source heat pumps help to minimise the operational carbon footprint and keep energy bills as low as possible. Low maintenance, low impact, and easy to repair were the priorities with material selection, which included corrugated sheet metal and cement board. The red external colour, which was one the features chosen through the consultation process, helps the building maintain a lively and fun presence in the heart of the neighbourhood.
Since its re-opening, MLK has once again become an invaluable and popular community asset, providing space for children and young people who may not otherwise have safe places to play. The new building’s flexibility enables IPA’s playworkers to deliver an enhanced service to local families and offer support and signposting to further help if needed.
The use of the JCT Intermediate Building Contract with contractor’s design supports that flexible approach, enabling the project team to capture the generally simpler requirements of the project but enabling any complex features to be handled effectively. The use of the contractor’s design version of the contract again maximises flexibility and the collaboration between the design and delivery teams.
Project data
Start on site: May 2022
Completion: May 2023
Project value: £345,000
Contract: JCT Intermediate Building Contract with contractor’s design
Gross internal area: 84m²
Client: Islington Borough Council
Architect: Paper House Project
Main contractor: SW Chelsea
Site operator: Islington Play Association
Project manager: Development Managers
Structural engineer: Hardman Structural Engineers
MEP consultant: Walker Mower
Cost consultant: Development Managers
Planning consultant: DMH Stallard
Principal designer: Wills Design
Sustainability consultant: Base Energy
Annual CO2 emissions: 1.7 kg/CO2/m2
Images: French & Tye