With spring comes the season of demand for play and entertainment. Karl's Erlebnis-Dorf (Adventure Village), a company specializing in amusement parks, built several different playgrounds in different locations during this time. One is in Elstal near Berlin. The other is in Zirkow on Rugen.
The two new playgrounds in Elstal and Zirkow are famous for their records. The Silo Climbing Tower at this site is a twin tower 13.2m high. A net fills about 130 cubic meters inside. A slide nearly 17m long takes children from the top down to the ground in the safest and most enjoyable way possible.
Ute Hoffmann, the landscape architect in charge of building the two playgrounds, described: "We came up with the idea for the silo climbing tower from many different needs. On one hand, we wanted to create something unique for older children, the ones many people think are already too 'old' for running around and playing in ordinary playgrounds. Like my sons, for example, one 12 and one 14 years old." A net is all we need. Climbing in a three-dimensional woven net system always brings interesting challenges that any child wants to overcome, developing their motor skills and spatial imagination along the way. Rope is a wonderful companion for children. It reacts to every movement, even a single step or a grip of the hand.
She then explained: "The next challenge for us was to attract children's attention with only a small, narrow space. And how to design it so that the 12m-high fire water tank blends into the playground as naturally as possible. To achieve that, we created the twin silo tower. The Silo Climbing Tower looks as if it is still being built, which keeps it airy. This adds to children's sense of discovery. Onlookers enjoy watching the children play. Thanks to care in choosing the materials and colors for the ropes, we reached a new level in designing transparent structures. Apart from the outer frame made of steel platforms and steel rings, the entire play equipment is formed from different kinds of binding rope. This also helped give the children a unique climbing experience."
Marius Kotte explained: "The rough look of the support posts is completely natural, and we did not have to put any extra effort into finishing them. With ordinary steel, this rust would spread very quickly and would directly dirty clothes on contact. To avoid corrosion, we used an epoxy coating. We also extended the maintenance period. These posts need more careful attention than usual. They must stay safe when used. The conditions here are unfavorable. In addition, the rough surface of the slide is made entirely of stainless steel sheets bonded with metal shavings. These shavings also create a rusty feel and make the slide look very 'old'. On opening day, which took place in mid-March, the children rushed to the tower like a storm." And Ms. Hoffmann added enthusiastically: "We think the Silo Climbing Tower was built very well and became a one-of-a-kind play structure. It fits perfectly with the style of play the playground is aiming for."
