Scope

Wat het doet

Children with autism often struggle in playgrounds due to sensory overload, making social play challenging. This is unfortunate, as social play is crucial for their development. Scope helps them find inner calmwhich helps to play interactively.

Je inspriatie

I did volunteer work where I entertain and a group of children. Among these children, there were sometimes kids with autism who often struggled with interactive play, especially during free play. A great example of free play is playing in the playground. I noticed that these children found these situations really difficult. Every child with autism is different, but playgrounds often posed challenges for them. This led me to the idea of finding a solution for this problem as my master's thesis. After extensive research and design work, Scope was born, an inclusive playground for everyone.

Hoe het werkt

By dividing the playground into quiet and interactive zones, children with autism have a place to find inner calm. The interactive zone is located at the center of the playground, while the calm zones surround it on the outside. In this calm zone stands Scope, a special calming play structure designed to fully meet their needs. The zone is elevated, and Scope itself is transparent, allowing children to maintain a clear overview of the playground which is an important aspect of their calming process. Scope works by turning the orange wheel,causing the sand to rotate in a soothing way, all while allowing children to observe their surroundings through Scope. It is designed for one child at a time, as inner calm is something found alone. Using the wayfinding system, they can navigate back to the interactive zone once they feel calm and ready to play again.

Ontwerpproces

Scope’s design process began with in-depth research on the challenges children with autism face in playgrounds. Through extensive interviews, school visits, and research, I identified that the key to inclusion lies in fostering inner calm, only then, meaningful interaction can take place. I also discovered that the problem lies in the whole lay-out of the playground, and thus can't be solved with an 'inclusive play structure' alone. For the second fase, I focused on two main components: an optimal layout and a method to find inner calm. I built scale models to test different playground configurations and scenarios with my target group, re-imagining the layout of a playground based on their feedback. For the calming play structure, I used various design and verification techniques, all verified by my target audience, and experts. Once I identified a solution, I created 3D-printed models to test technical feasibility and determine the most effective setup for a calming experience, always validated by the target audience. A final step was creating a path from the play structure to the interactive zone, also designed using co-creation methods. The final step was bringing everything together by creating a 3D model and other visuals that show the true potential of Scope.

Hoe onderscheidend is het?

In modern playgrounds, the focus on inclusivity is mainly on wheelchair accessibility, which is of course important, but not more important than inclusivity for children with autism and other social-emotional challenges. Other inclusive solutions often limit themselves to a single play structure, while the real issue concerns the entire playground. These 'solutions' often lack research and are only called inclusive because they look so, not because they are. With Scope, I take inclusivity to a higher level by not only designing a play structure but also changing the layout of the playground and how Scope, the new calming play structure, stands in this layout. Moreover, Scope is easy to integrate into almost any new playground design. The lay-out principles of Scope are a huge difference for those who need it but barely noticeable for those who don't, which is why Scope creates a truly inclusive play environment, where everyone can play.

Toekomstplannen

Scope is a master's thesis that was conducted without an external promotor. I have only just completed it and have not yet been in contact with any playground manufacturers who are interested in realizing Scope. However, I do plan to contact several companies to explore what the future of Scope might look like. I strongly believe that Scope could change the way people look at inclusiveness in playgrounds and I'm looking forward to connecting with industry professionals who share this vision.

Premi

none yet ;))