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| Completion Date: | ongoing | ||
| Location: | Littleton, CO | ||
| Description: |
This design highlights various periods in Colorado's history from ancient times through the modern day. The concept draws on the philosophy behind Core Knowledge and the understanding that the Colorado of today was built from the ancient history, people and geography of ancient Colorado. The mountains, rivers, agriculture, plants, animals and native people of Colorado are represented in various areas of the playground. The main shade shelter in the southwest area of the playground is designed to represent the historic Littleton Train Depot. The surrounding plaza space may be used as an outdoor classroom. Concrete train tracks are flush with the ground and then increase in height as they approach the shelter to become seating for the class. Adjacent to the outdoor classroom is the native Colorado plants walk and garden. A meandering crusher fines path winds through the garden filled with plants native to Colorado. These can be labeled so that they may be used as a learning tool for the school. Swirls of colored concrete represent Colorado's rivers and have the names of the major rivers of Colorado sandblasted along their paths. Stripes of colored concrete represent the rows of the agricultural fields that are found throughout Colorado, and the stripes can be carried through into the planting bed with rows of grasses that represent wheat crops. A 'river' of blue concrete swirls between two seatwalls and crosses the asphalt play pad to meet the school building. Along these seatwalls are sandblasted images of Colorado's Native Americans and their villages. Herds of buffalo are sandblasted along the concrete path that crosses the playground, and a mural of Colorado's major peaks is painted on the building. Each of the peaks is labeled with their name and elevation. The mural becomes a part of the landscape through an adjacent planting bed with evergreen trees and boulders.
The play areas have hints of Colorado's ancient past. Sandblasted images along the curbwalls could include the palm tree forests and early, exotic wildlife of prehistoric Colorado. Early animals include camels, crocodiles, horses, bison, and turtles. Images from prehistoric Colorado also work into the play sculptures in each of the play areas – a small turtle for younger children and a larger, more challenging bison sculpture for older children. A sand play area is included in the design and conveys a piece of Littleton's history in the playground. One of the first businesses in Littleton, the Rough and Ready Flour Mill, can tie in to the sand play area with a sandblasted image of the mill and sand play pieces that mimic the working mill. |
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| Additional Information: |
Newsletter |
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